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THE 


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ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST, 


THE  JUSTIFICATION  OF  TBI  SINNER.^ 


'<P^a^^^ 


OKT^ 


ARRANaED  FROM  THE  WRITINaS 


THE   REV.  ANDREW   FULLER, 

M 


m  THE  EDITOR  OP  HIS  COMPLETE  WORKS. 


PUBLISHED   BY   THE 
AMERICAN    TRACT    SOCIETY 

150  NAySAU-STREET,  NEW  YORK. 


Ft 


This  volume,  prepared  by  the  editor  of 
the  last  American  edition  of  Mr.  Puller's 
Complete  Works,  is  intended  to  illustrate  the 
leading  scripture  doctrines  of  salvation,  as 
presented  in  the  writings  of  that  eminent 
man.  Every  paragraph  of  this  volume  has 
been  selected  from  his  various  works ;  and 
the  only  task  of  the  editor  has  been  to  arrange 
the  thoughts  into  chapters,  with  appropriate 
titles;  and  occasionally,  but  very  seldom  in- 
deed, to  add  a  connecting  sentence,  or  to 
change  the  form  of  one,  to  make  it  correspond 
with  its  connection.  The  volume  will  be 
found  to  present,  in  a  vivid  and  forcible  man- 
ner, the  divine  revelation  of  mercy  as  given 
to  us  in  the  holy  Scriptures. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2007  with  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


http://www.archive.org/details/atonementofchrisOOrevarich 


CONTENTS 


DOCTRINE    OF    THE    ATONEMENT    OF 
CHRIST. 

CHAPTER   I. 

Necessity  of  an  atonement,  arising  from  the  depravity  of  man     .       7 

CHAPTER   II. 
The  atonement  of  Christ  the  leading  doctrine  of  the  Scriptures  .     21 

CHAPTER   III. 
Qualifications  of  the  Lord  Jesus  to  make  an  atonement      ...     46 

CHAPTER    IV. 

E/easonableness  of  the  doctrine  of  the  atonement — Its  harmony  with 
the  vast  extent  of  creation,  and  with  the  character  of  God    .     79 

CHAPTER  V. 

Happy  results  of  the  atonement  of  Christ 129 

CHAPTER   VI. 

Importance  of  correct  views  of  the  atonement — "Way  in  which  it  must 
be  received — Consequences  of  its  rejection ^ .   152 

CHAPTER   VII. 

Practical  improvement  of  the  subject — Solemn  appeal  to  the  uncon- 
verted       193 


6  CONTENTS. 

DOCTRINE    OF    THE    JUSTIFICATION 
OF    A    SINNER. 

CHAPTER   VIII. 

The  nature  of  justification 221 

CHAPTER   IX. 

Justification  not  by  works 236 

CHAPTER   X. 

The  redemption  of  Christ  the  procuring  cause  of  justification      .  256 

CHAPTER   XI. 

The  imputed  righteousness  of  Christ  the  ground  of  justification    .  273 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Faith  in  Christ  the  medium  of  justification 293 

CHAPTER    XIII. 

The  holy  tendency  of  the  scripture  doctrine  of  a  sinner's  justifica- 
tion      314 

CHAPTER    XIV. 

The  results  of  preaching  the  doctrine  of  justification      ....  354 

CHAPTER   XV. 

Practical  improvement  of  the  subject 373 

\ 


ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 


CHAPTER    I. 

NECESSITY  OF  AN  ATONEMENT,  AHISINa  FROM  THE 
DEPRAVITY  OF  MAN. 

The  doctrines  inculcated  by  Christ  and  his  apos- 
tles, in  order  to  lay  men  low  in  the  dust  before  God, 
were  those  of  human  depravity,  and  salvation  by  free 
and  sovereign  grace  through  Jesus  Christ.  The  lan- 
guage held  out  by  our  Lord  was,  that  he  "came  to 
seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost."  The  general 
strain  of  his  preaching  tended  to  inform  mankind, 
not  only  that  he  came  to  save  lost  sinners,  but  that  no 
man,  under  any  other  character,  could  partake  of  the 
blessings  of  salvation.  "  I  came,"  saith  he,  "  not  to 
call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to  repentance."  "  The 
whole  need  not  a  physician,  but  they  that  are  sick." 
To  the  same  purpose  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles  de- 
clared to  the  Ephesians,  "You  hath  he  quickened, 
who  were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins;  wherein  in 
time  past  ye  walked  according  to  the  course  of  this, 
world,  according  to  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the 
air,  the  spirit  that  now  worketh  in  the  children  of 
disobedience."    Nor  did  he  speak  this  of  Gentiles  or 


8  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

of  profligates  only ;  but,  thougli  himself  a  Jew,  anCt 
educated  a  Pharisee,  he  -added,  "  Among  whom  also 
we  all  had  our  conversation  in  times  past  in  the  lusts 
of  our  flesh,  fulfilling  the  desires  of  the  flesh  and  of 
the  mind ;  and  were  by  nature  the  children  of  wrath, 
even  as  others."  To  the  doctrine  of  the  universal 
depravity  of  human  nature,  he  very  properly  and  joy- 
fully proceeds  to  oppose  that  of  God's  rich  mercy: 
"  But  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great  love 
wherewith  he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in 
sins,  hath  quickened  us  together  with  Christ."  The 
humbling  doctrine  of  salvation  by  undeserved  favor 
was  so  natural  an  inference,  from  these  premises,  that 
the  apostle  could  not  forbear  throwing  in  such  a  re- 
flection, though  it  were  in  a  parenthesis :  "  By  grace 
ye  are  saved."  Nor  did  he  leave  it  there,  but  pres- 
ently after  drew  the  same  conclusion  more  fully: 
"  For  by  grace  ye  are  saved,  through  faith ;  and  that 
not  of  yourselves ;  it  is  the  gift  of  God :  not  of  works, 
lest  any  man  should  boast."  Eph.  2  : 5-9.  To  the 
same  purport  he  taught  in  his  other  epistles :  "  Who 
hath  saved  us,  and  called  us  with  a  holy  calling,  not 
according  to  our  works,  but  according  to  his  own 
purpose  and  grace,  which  was  given  us  in  Christ 
Jesus  before  the  world  began."  "  Not  by  works  of 
righteousness  which  we  have  done,  but  according  to 
his  mercy  he  saved  us."  "  Of  him  are  ye  in  Christ 
Jesus,  who  of  God  is  made  unto  us  wisdom,  and  right- 
eousness, and  sanctification,  and  redemption:  that, 
according  as  it  is  written,  He  that  glorieth,  let  him 
glory  in  the  Lord."  2  Tim.  1:9;  Tit.  3  :  5  ;  1  Cor. 
1  :  30,  31. 


NECESSITY  OF   ATONEMENT.  9 

In  looking  into  tl\e  composition  of  the  human 
mind  we  observe  various  passions  and  propensities; 
and  if  we  inspect  their  operations,  we  shall  see  in 
each  a  marked  aversion  from  the  true  God,  and  from 
all  true  religion.  For  example :  Man  loves  to  think^ 
and  cannot  live  without  thinking;  but  he  does  not 
love  to  think  of  God ;  "  God  is  not  in  all  his 
thoughts."  Man  delights  in  activity,  is  perpetually  in 
motion,  but  has  no  heart  to  act  for  God.  Men  take 
pleasure  in  conversation,  and  are  never  more  cheerful 
than  when  engaged  in  it ;  but  if  God  and  religion  be 
introduced,  they  are  usually  struck  dumb,  and  show 
an  inclination  to  drop  the  subject.  Men  greatly  de- 
light in  hearing  and  telling  inews ;  but  if  the  glorious 
news  of  the  gospel  be  sounded  in  their  ears,  it  fre- 
quently proves  as  unwelcome  as  Paul's  preaching  at 
Athens.  In  fine,  man  feels  the  necessity  of  a  God,  but 
has  no  relish  for  the  true  God.  There  is  a  remarka- 
ble instance  of  this  in  the  conduct  of  those  nations 
planted  by  the  king  of  Assyria  in  the  cities  of  Sa- 
maria. They  were  consumed  by  wild  beasts,  and 
considered  it  as  an  expression  of  displeasure  from 
"  the  god  of  the  land."  They  wished  to  become  ac- 
quainted with  him,  that  they  might  please  him.  An 
Israelitish  priest  is  sent  to  teach  them  "  the  manner 
of  the  god  of  the  land."  But  when  he  taught  them 
the  fear  of  Jehovah,  his  character  and  worship  do  not 
seem  to  have  suited  their  taste ;  for  each  nation  pre- 
ferred the  worship  of  its  own  gods.    2  Kings,  17. 

The  following  are  among  the  principal  proofs  of 
the  doctrine  of  human  depravity  : 

1* 


10  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIS-T. 

1.  All  those  passages  of  Scripture  wliich  expressly 
teach  it,  declaring  that  "  every  imagination,"  purpose, 
or  desire  of  man's  heart  is  "only  evil  continually;" 
that  "  there  is  none  that  seeketh  after  God ;"  "  every 
one  of  them  is  gone  back ;"  "  they  are  altogether  be- 
come filtliy ;"  "  there  is  none  that  doeth  good,  no,  not 
one." 

2.  Those  scriptures  which  declare  the  utter  impos- 
sibility of  carnal  men  doing  any  thing  to  please  God; 
such  as,  "  Without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please 
God."  "  To  be  carnally-minded  is  death."  "Because 
the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God ;  for  it  is  not 
subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be. 
So  then  they  that  are  in  the  flesh  cannot  please  God." 
If  they  who  are  in  the  flesh  did  any  part  of  their  duty 
towards  God,  or  if  what  they  did  were  good*  and  vir- 
tuous in  his  sight,  so  far  as  it  goes,  their  minds  would 
so  far  be  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  and  being  such, 
they  might  and  would  please  him ;  for  God  is  not  a 
capricious  or  hard  master,  but  is  pleased  with  right- 
eousness wherever  he  sees  it. 

3.  Those  scriptures  which  speak  of  the  whole  of 
goodness  or  virtue  as  comprehended  in  love;  namely, 
the  love  of  God  and  our  neighbor :  "  Love  is  the  ful- 
filling of  the  law."  "  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy 
God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and 
with  all  thy  mind,  and  with  all  thy  strength ;  and  thy 
neighbor  as  thyself."  If  the  love  of  God  supremely, 
and  the  love  of  creatures  subordinately,  comprise  the 
whole  of  virtue,  Avhere  these  are  wanting  virtue  can 
liave  no  existence.  And  that  these  are  wanting  in 
all  ungodly  men  is  evident,  for  they  "  have  not  the 


NECESSITY  OF  ATONEMENT.  U 

love  of  God  in"  them;  and  where  God  is  not  loved 
supremely,  creatures  cannot  be  loved  in  subordination 
to  him;  but  are  either  disregarded,  or  regarded  on 
some  other  account :  such  love,  therefore,  has  no  vir- 
tue in  it,  but  is  of  the  nature  of  sin. 

4.  Those  scriptures  which  teach  the  necessity  of 
regeneration  to  eternal  life :  "  Yo  must  be  born  again." 
"  Except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit,  he 
cannot  enter  the  kingdom  of  God."  "  If  any  man  be 
in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature ;  old  things  are  passed 
away,  all  things  are  become  new."  If  there  were  any 
degree  of  virtue  in  the  carnal  heart,  or  any  thing  that 
was  pleasing  to  God,  it  might  be  cultivated  and  in- 
creased ;  and  in  this  case  old  things  need  not  pass 
away,  and  all  things  become  new.  Regeneration 
would  be  unnecessary;  a  mere  reformation,  or  an 
improvement  of  principles  already  inherent  in  man, 
would  suffice. 

5.  Those  scriptures  which  promise  the  blessings 
of  salvation  and  eternal  life  to  every  degree  of  right- 
eousness or  true  virtue:  "All  things  work  together 
for  good  to  them  that  love  God^  "  Christ  is  the  au- 
thor of  eternal  salvation  to  all  them  that  obey  himJ^ 
"  He  that  doeth  righteousness  is  righteous."  "  They 
that  have  done  good  shall  rise  to  the  resurrection  of 
life."  "  He  that  giveth  a  cup  of  cold  water  to  a  dis- 
ciple, in  the  name  of  a  disdple,^^  or  because  he  belongs 
to  Christ,  shall  have  a  disciple's  reward.  In  these 
passages  we  must  observe  that  God's  gracious  declara- 
tions and  promises  are  not  made  to  this  or  that  degree 
of  goodness,  but  to  every  or  any  degree  of  it;  or 
rather,  it  is  not  the  degree,  but  the  nature  of  it,  that 


12  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

is  considered  in  the  divine  promise.  Hence  we  may 
certainly  conclude  that  unregenerate  men  have  not 
the  least  degree  of  real  goodness  in  them,  or  of  any 
thing  that  is  pleasing  to  God. 

Supposing  mankind  to  be  in  a  guilty  and  perish- 
ing condition,  and  that  "  God  so  loved  the  world  as  to 
give  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth 
in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life,"  a 
revelation  from  heaven  was  necessary  as  the  ground 
of  faith.  "Faith  cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearing 
by  the  word  of  God  :"  without  revelation,  therefore, 
there  would  be  no  faith,  and  so  no  salvation. 

Both  revelation  and  faith  may,  however,  exist  in 
widely  different  degrees.  Revelation  was  first  given 
in  obscure  intimations,  afterwards  in  types  and  shad- 
ows, in  promises  and  in  prophecies;  and  under  each 
it  was  the  office  of  faith  to  keep  pace  with  it.  The 
faith  of  Abel  and  that  of  Paul,  though  as  to  their  na- 
ture and  object  the  same,  yet,  as  to  degree,  must  have 
been  widely  different,  on  account  of  the  difference  of 
the  degrees  of  divine  revelation  which  each  possessed. 
Revelation,  like  the  shining  light,  shone  "  more  and 
more  unto  the  perfect  day,"  and  such  was  the  "  path 
of  the  just,"  which  corresponded  with  it. 

From  these  remarks,  we  may  see  the  force  of  such 
passages  as  the  following:  "He  showeth  his  word 
unto  Jacob,  his  statutes  and  his  judgments  unto 
Israel.  He  hath  not  dealt  so  with  any  nation ;  and 
as  to  his  judgments,  they  have  not  known  them. 
Praise  ye  the  Lord."  "  What  advantage  then  hath 
the  Jew  ?  or  what  profit  is  there  in  circumcision  ? 


NECESSITY"  OF  ATONEMENT.  13 

Much  every  way;  chiefly,  because  that  unto  them 
were  committed  the  oracles  of  God."  "  At  that  time 
ye  were  without  Christ — being  aliens  from  the  com- 
monwealth of  Israel,  and  strangers  from  the  cove- 
nants of  promise — having  no  hope,  and  without  God 
in  the  world ;  but  now,  in  Christ  Jesus,  ye  who  some 
time  were  far  off,  are  made  nigh  by  the  blood  of 
Christ." 

We  may  also  learn,  from  these  remarks,  to  make 
allowance  for  the  small  degrees  of  faith  where  the 
light  of  revelation  has  been  but  little  known.  It  is 
not  for  us  to  say  how  small  a  portion  of  divine  truth 
may  irradiate  the  mind,  nor  by  what  means  the  Holy 
Spirit  may  impart  it.  According  to  the  ordinary 
way  of  the  divine  proceeding  under  the  gospel,  it  may 
be  asked,  "How  shall  they  believe  in  him  of  whom 
they  have  not  heard  ?  and  how  shall  they  hear  with- 
out a  preacher?  and  how  shall  they  preach  except 
they  be  sent?"  But  this  has  not  been  the  uniform 
method  of  the  divine  proceeding  from  the  beginning. 
Previously  to  the  time  of  Moses,  there  was  no  written 
revelation,  and  till  the  coming  of  Christ,  no  ordinance 
for  preaching  the  word.  No  missionaries  till  then 
were  sent  among  the  heathen.  Good  men  under  the 
Old  Testament  stood  on  much  lower  ground  than 
those  under  the  New  Testament.  Cornelius  the  Ro- 
man centurion,  being  stationed  in  Judea,  learned 
enough  of  the  God  of  Israel  to  be  just  and  devout, 
giving  much  alms  to  the  people,  and  praying  to  God 
alway ;  and  before  he  had  heard  of  Jesus  being  the 
Messiah,  his  prayers  and  his  alms  were  approved  of 
God.     Yet  the  words  spoken  to  him  by  Peter  were 


14  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

those  by  which  he  was  saved;  a  proof  this,  not  of 
there  being  another  way  of  acceptance  with  God  than 
that  which  the  gospel  reveals,  nor  of  its  being  possi- 
ble without  faith  to  please  God,  but  that  faith  may 
exist  while  as  yet  there  is  no  explicit  revelation  of 
the  Saviour.  Finally,  it  is  not  for  us  to  say  what 
may  be  effected  in  an  extraordinary  way  upon  the  . 
minds  of  men.  A  ray  of  divine  revelation  shot 
athwart  the  darkness  of  paganism  into  the  minds  of 
the  Eastern  magi,  and  led  them  to  worship  the  new- 
born Saviour. 

The  testimony  of  God  in  reference  to  the  inhabit- 
ants of  the  old  world  was,  "  that  the  wickedness  of 
man  was  great  in  the  earth,  and  that  every  imagina- 
tion of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  was  only  evil  contin- 
ually." Gen.  6  :  5.  Hear,  ye  who  pretend  that  man 
is  naturally  virtuous  I  That  the  wickedness  of  man 
has  in  all  ages,  though  at  some  periods  more  than 
others,  been  great  upon  the  earth,  can  scarcely  be 
called  in  question ;  but  that  "  every  imagination  of 
the  thoughts  of  his  heart"  should  be  only  evil,  and  that 
"continually,"  is  more  than  men  in  general  will  allow. 
Yet  such  is  the  account  here  given.  Mark  the  affect- 
ing gradation.  Evil:  evil  without  mixture — "only 
evil :"  evil  without  cessation — "  continually :"  evil  from 
the  very  fountain-head  of  action— iho,  "  imagination  of 
the  thoughts  of  his  heart."  Nor  is  it  a  description  of 
certain  vicious  persons  only,  but  of  "  man,"  as  left  to 
himself.  And  all  this  "  God  saw,"  who  sees  things  as 
they  are.  This  doctrine  is  fundamental  to  the  gospel  ; 
the  whole  of  redemption  rests  upon  it ;  and  I  suspect 


NECESSITY  OF  ATONEMENT.  15 

that  every  false  scheme  of  religion  which  has  been  at 
any  time  advanced  in  the  world  might  be  proved  to 
have  originated  in  the  denial  of  it. 

By  the  coats  of  skins  wherewith  the  Lord  God 
clothed  our  first  parents,  it  seems  to  be  implied  that 
animals  were  slain;  and  as  they  were  not  at  that 
time  slain  for  food,  it  is  highly  probable  they  were 
slain  for  sacrifice,  especially  as  this  practice  is  men- 
tioned in  the  life  of  Abel.  Sacrifices  therefore  appear 
to  have  been  ordained  of  God  to  teach  man  his  de- 
sert, and  the  way  in  which  he  must  be  saved.  It  is 
remarkable  that  the  clothing  of  Adam  and  Eve  is 
ascribed  to  the  Lord  God,  and  that  it  appears  to  have 
succeeded  the  slender  covering  wherewith  they  had 
attempted  to  cover  themselves.  Is  it  not  natural  to 
conclude  that  God  only  can  hide  our  moral  naked- 
ness, and  that  the  way  in  which  he  does  it  is  by  cover- 
ing us  with  the  righteousness  of  our  atoning  Sacrifice  ? 

Had  Cain  lived  before  the  fall,  God  would  not 
have  been  ofi'ended  at  his  bringing  an  offering  with- 
out a  sacrifice ;  but  after  that  event,  and  the  promise 
of  the  woman's  Seed,  together  with  the  institution  of 
sacrifices,  such  a  conduct  was  highly  offensive.  It  was 
equally  disregarding  the  threatening  and  the  promise ; 
treating  the  former  as  if  nothing  were  meant  by  it, 
and  the  latter  as  a  mattdr  of  no  account.  It  was 
practically  saying,  God  is  not  in  earnest.  There  is 
no  great  evil  in  sin,  nor  any  necessity  for  an  atone- 
ment. If  I  come  with  my  offering,  I  shall  doubtless 
be  accepted,  and  my  Creator  will  think  himself  hon- 


16  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

ored.  Such  is  still  the  language  of  a  self-righteous 
heart.  But  is  it  thus  that  Adam's  posterity,  while 
"  under  the  first  covenant/'  or  rather,  while  vainly  hop- 
ing for  the  promise  of  the  first  covenant  after  having 
broken  its  conditions,  are  required  to  approach  an 
offended  God  ?  On  the  contrary,  is  there  not  reason 
to  conclude  that  the  case  of  Cain  and  Abel  was  de-. 
signed  to  teach  mankind,  from  the  very  outset  of  the 
world,  God's  determination  to  have  no  fellowship 
with  sinners  but  through  a  mediator,  and  that  all 
attempts  to  approach  him  in  any  other  way  would  be 
vain  and  presumptuous  ? 

In  the  offerings  of  these  two  first-born  sons  of  man, 
we  see  the  essential  difference  between  spiritual  wor- 
ship and  that  which  is  merely  formal.  As  to  the 
matter  of  which  their  offerings  were  composed,  it  may 
be  thought  there  was  nothing  particularly  defective : 
each  brought  what  he  had.  There  is  indeed  no  men- 
tion made  of  Cain's  being  the  best  of  the  kind,  which 
is  noticed  of  Abel's.  And  if  he  neglected  this,  it  was 
a  sign  that  his  heart  was  not  much  in  it.  He  might 
also,  no  doubt,  have  obtained  a  lamb  out  of  his  broth- 
er's flock  for  an  expiatory  sacrifice.  But  the  chief 
difference  is  that  which  is  noticed  by  the  apostle: 
"  ^  J  faith  Abel  offered  a  more  excellent  sacrifice  than 
Cain."  Cain's  offering  was  just  what  a  self-righteous 
heart  would  offer :  it  proceeded  on  the  principle  that 
there  was  no  breach  between  him  and  his  Creator,  so 
as  to  require  any  confession  of  sin,  or  respect  to  an 
atonement.  Such  offerings  abound  among  us;  but 
they  are  "without  faith,"  and  therefore  it  is  impossible 


NECESSITY  OF  ATONEMENT  17 

they  should  please  God.  The  offering  of  Abel  I  need 
not 'describe ;  suffice  it  to  say,  it  was  the  reverse  of 
that  presented  by  Cain.  It  was  the  best  of  the  kind, 
and  included  an  expiatory  sacrifice. 

The  result  was,  "  the  Lord  had  respect  to  Abel, 
and  to  his  offering;  but  unto  Cain  and  his  offering  he 
had  not  respect."  The  one  was  probably  consumed 
by  fire  from  heaven,  the  other  not  so.  This  we  know 
was  afterwards  a  common  token  of  the  divine  accept- 
ance. Lev.  9  :  24 ;  Psa.  20  :  3,  margin.  The  order  of 
things  is  worthy  of  notice.  God  first  accepted  Abel, 
and  then  his  offering.  If  he  had  been  justified  on  the 
ground  of  his  good  deeds,  the  order  should  have  been 
reversed;  but  believing  in  the  Messiah,  he  was  ac- 
cepted for  His  sake ;  and  being  so,  his  works  were 
well-pleasing  in  the  sight  of  God.  And  as  Abel  was 
accepted  as  a  believer,  so  Cain  was  rejected  as  an 
unbeliever.  Being  such,  the  Lord  had  no  respect  to 
him;  he  was  under  the  curse,  and  all  he  did  was 
abhorred  in  His  eyes. 

The  rejection  of  Cain  and  his  offering  operated 
upon  him  very  powerfully.  If  the  love  of  God  had 
been  in  him,  he  would  have  fallen  before  him,  as 
Joshua  and  his  brethren  did  when  Israel  was  driven 
back,  and  have  pleaded,  "  Show  me  wherefore  thou 
contendest  with  me !"  But  "  he  was  wroth,  and  his 
countenance  fell."  This  is  just  what  might  be  ex- 
pected from  a  self-righteous,  proud  spirit,  who  thought 
so  highly  of  his  offering  as  to  imagine  that  God  must 
needs  be  pleased  with  it,  and  with  him  on  account  of 
it.  He  was  very  wroth ;  and  that  no  doubt  against 
God  himself,  as  well  as  against  his  brother.     He 


18  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

went  in  high  spirits,  like  the  Pharisee  to  the  temple, 
but  came  away  dejected  and  full  of  foul  passions,  of 
which  his  fallen  countenance  was  but  the  index. 

Ancient  philosophers  have  taught  many  things  in 
favor  of  morality,  so  far  at  least  as  respects  justice 
and  goodness  towards  our  fellow-creatures ;  but  where 
are  the  motives  by  which  the  minds  of  the  people,  or 
even  their  own  minds,  have  been  moved  to  a  compli- 
ance with  them  ?  They  framed  a  curious  machine,  but 
who  among  them  could  discover  a  power  to  work  it  ? 
What  principles  have  appeared  in  the  world,  under 
the  name  either  of  philosophy  or  religion,  that  can 
bear  a  comparison  with  the  following?  "  God  so  loved 
the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only-begotten  Son,  that 
whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but 
have  everlasting  life."  "  Herein  is  love,  not  that  we 
loved  God,  but  that  he  loved  us,  and  sent  his  Son  to 
be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins."  "  Beloved,  if  God 
so  loved  us,  we  ought  also  to  love  one  another."  "  Let 
all  bitterness,  and  wrath,  and  anger,  and  clamor,  and 
evil-speaking  be  put  away  from  you,  with  all  malice : 
and  be  ye  kind  one  to  another,  tender-hearted,  forgiv- 
ing one  another,  even  as  God  for  Christ's  sake  hath 
forgiven  you."  "  Be  ye  therefore  followers,"  or  imi- 
tators, "of  God,  as  dear  children;  and  walk  in  love, 
as  Christ  also  hath  loved  us,  and  hath  given  him- 
self for  us,  an  offering  and  a  sacrifice  to  God  of  a 
sweet-smelling  savor."  "  Ye  are  a  chosen  generation, 
a  royal  priesthood,  a  holy  nation,  a  peculiar  people ; 
that  ye  should  show  forth  the  praises  of  Him  who  hath 
called  you  out  of  darkness  into  his  marvellous  light." 


NECESSITY  OF  ATONEMENT.  19 

"  Come  out  from  among  them,  and  be  ye  separate^ 
saith  the  Lord,  and  touch  not  the  unclean  thing ;  and 
I  will  receive  you,  and  will  be  a  Father  unto  you, 
and  ye  shall  be  my  sons  and  daughters,  saith  the  Lord 
Almighty."  "  Having  therefore  these  promises,  dearly 
beloved,  let  us  cleanse  ourselves  from  all  filthiness  of 
the  flesh  and  spirit,  perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of 
God."  "  If  there  be  therefore  any  consolation  in 
Christ,  if  any  comfort  of  love,  if  any  fellowship  of  the 
Spirit,  if  any  bowels  and  mercies,  fulfil  ye  my  joy : 
be  of  one  accord,  of  one  mind."  "Let  nothing  be 
done  through  strife  or  vainglory ;  but  in  lowliness  of 
mind  let  each  esteem  other  better  than  themselves." 
"  Dearly  beloved,  I  beseech  you,  as  strangers  and  pil- 
gims,  abstain  from  fleshly  lusts,  which  war  against  the 
soul;  having  your  conversation  honest  among  the 
Gentiles:  that  whereas  they  speak  against  you  as 
evil-doers,  they  may  by  your  good  works  which  they 
shall  behold,  glorify  God  in  the  day  of  visitation." 
"  Ye  are  bought  with  a  price ;  therefore  glorify  God 
in  your  body,  and  in  your  spirit,  which  are  God's." 
"  The  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us*;  because  we  thus 
judge,  that  if  one  died  for  all,  then  were  all  dead :  and 
that  he  died  for  all,  that  they  which  live  should  not 
henceforth  live  unto  themselves,  but  unto  Him  who 
died  for  them  and  rose  again."  "The  day  of  the 
Lord  will  come  as  a  thief  in  the  night ;  in  the  which 
the  heavens  shall  pass  away  with  a  great  noise,  and 
the  elements  shall  melt  with  fervent  heat,  the  earth 
also  and  the  works  that  are  therein  shall  be  burned  up. 
Seeing  then  that  all  these  things  shall  be  dissolved, 
what  manner  of  persons  ought  ye  to  be  in  all  holy 


20  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

conversation  and  godliness,  looking  for  and  hasting 
unto  the  coming  of  the  day  of  God  ?"  "  Hold  that 
fast  which  thou  hast,  that  no  man  take  thy  crown." 
"  To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  grant  to  sit  with  me 
in  my,  throne,  even  as  I  also  overcame,  and  am  set 
down  with  my  Father  in  his  throne." 

These  are  motives  by  which  Christians  in  every 
age  have  been  induced  to  practise  that  morality  which, 
while  writing  against  Christianity,  Paine,  Boling- 
broke,  and  many  others,  have  been  compelled  to  ap- 
plaud. But  the  far  greater  part  of  them  are  rejected 
by  deists ;  and  what  will  they  substitute,  of  equal 
eflBLcacy,  in  their  place  ?  The  love  of  Christ  constrain- 
eth  us;  but  what  have  they  to  constrain  tkem  ?  Will 
self-love,  or  the  beauty  or  utility  of  virtue  answer  the 
purpose  ?     Let  history  and  observation  determine. 


THE  THEME   OF  SCRIPTURE.  21 


CHAPTER   II. 

IHE    ATONEMENT    OF    CHRIST    THE    LEADINa    DOC- 
TRINE OF  THE   SCRIPTURES. 

The  history  contained  in  the  sacred  Scriptm-es  is 
that  of  the  church  or  people  of  God :  other  nations 
are  introduced  only  in  an  incidental  manner,  as  being 
connected  with  them  :  and  this  people  were  formed 
for  Christ.  Him  God  appointed  to  be  "  heir  of  all 
things."  All  that  was  done  by  the  patriarchs  and 
prophets,  under  the  Old  Testament,  was  preparatory 
to  his  kingdom.  It  was  in  his  field  that  they  labored, 
and  therefore  his  apostles  "  entered  into  their  labors. '^ 
God's  calling  Abraham  and  blessing  and  increasing 
him,  had  all  along  a  reference  to  the  kingdom  of  his 
Son.  He  was  the  principal  Seed  in  whom  all  the 
kindreds  of  the  earth  were  to  be  blessed.  Why  did 
Melchizedek,  on  meeting  Abraham  when  he  returned 
from  the  slaughter  of  the  kings,  bless  him  with  so 
much  heart  ?  •  Was  it  not  as  knowing  that  he  had 
the  promises,  especially  that  of  the  Messiah?  Why  is 
Esau's  despising  his  birthright  reckoned  profaneness, 
but  on  account  of  its  referring  to  something  sacred  ? 

The  promises  made  to  Abraham's  posterity  chiefly 
related  to  things  at  a  great  distance ;  but  Esau 
longed  for  something  nearer  at  hand,  and  therefore 
sold  his  birthright  for  a  present  enjoyment.  Why  is 
the  reproach  which  Moses  preferred  to  the  treasures 
of  Egypt  called  "  the  reproach  of  Christ,"  but  that 


22  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

Israel  being  in  possession  of  the  promise  of  Him,  and 
Moses  believing  it,  cast  in  his  lot  with  them,  though 
in  a  state  of  slavery  ?  Were  not  these  the  "  good 
things  "  to  which  he  referred,  in  persuading  Hobab  to 
go  with  them?  All  that  was  done  for  Israel  from 
their  going  down  into  Egypt  to  their  settlement 
in  Canaan,  and  from  thence  to  the  coming  of  Christ, 
was  in  reference  to  Him.  The  conquest  of  the  seven 
nations  was  authorized,  and  even  commanded  by  Je- 
hovah, for  the  purpose  of  reestablishing  his  gov- 
ernment in  his  own  world,  from  which  he  had  in  a 
manner  been  driven  by  idolatry.  It  was  setting  up 
his  standard  with  the  design  of  ultimately  subduing 
the  world  to  the  obedience  of  faith.  What  but  the 
promise  of  Christ,  as  including  the  covenant  that 
God  made  with  David,  rendered  it  all  his  salvation 
and  all  his  desire?  It  was  owing  to  the  bearing 
which  the  Old  Testament  history  had  on  the  person 
and  work  of  Christ,  that  Stephen  and  Paul,  when 
preaching  him  to  the  Jews,  made  use  of  it  to  intro- 
duce their  subject.     Acts,  eh.  7,  13. 

The  sacrifices  of  the  Old  Testament  all  related  to 
this  doctrine.  The  first  object  of  attention  with  a 
worldly  man  after  the  deluge,  might  have  been  a  day 
of  rejoicing,  or  the  beginning  to  build  a  house  ;  but 
Noah  begins  by  building  an  altar  to  Jehovah,  on 
which  he  offered  "burnt-offerings  of  every  clean 
beast,  and  of  every  clean  fowl."  I  think  this  is  the 
first  time  we  read  of  a  burnt-offering.  It  was  so 
called,  as  Moses  says,  "  because  of  the  burning  upon 
the  altar  all  night  unto  the  morning."     It  was  a  sub- 


THE  THEME   OF  SCRIPTURE.  23 

stitutional  sacrifice,  for  the  purpose  of  atonement. 
The  process  is  described  in  Lev.  1  :  2-9.  The  sinner 
confessed  his  sin  upon  its  head ;  the  animal  was  killed, 
or  treated  as  if  it  were  the  transgressor,  and  as  if  the 
sin  had  been  actually  transferred  to  it ;  the  blood  of 
the  creature  being  shed,  was  sprinkled  round  abaut 
upon  the  altar ;  and  to  show  the  divine  acceptance 
of  it  on  behalf  of  the  offerer  to  make  atonement  for 
him,  it  was  consumed  by  fire,  either  descending  im- 
mediately from  heaven,  as  was  the  case  on  some  oc- 
casions, or  kindled  by  the  priest  from  the  sacred  fire 
kept  for  the  purpose.  Lev.  9  :  24 ;  Psa.  20  : 3,  mar. ; 
finally,  the  sacrifice  being  sprinkled  with  salt,  and 
perhaps  with  odors,  ascended  up  in  a  sweet  savor,  and 
God  was  propitious  to  the  offerer. 

The  burnt-offerings  of  Noah,  according  to  this, 
must  have  been  designed  for  an  atonement  in  behalf 
of  the  remnant  that  was  left ;  and,  as  Hezekiah  said 
after  the  carrying  away  of  the  ten  tribes,  "for  the 
making  of  a  covenant  with  the  Lord."  This  his  offer- 
ing was  graciously  accepted :  "  The  Lord  smelled  a 
sweet  savor,"  and  bestowed  upon  him,  and  those 
who  were  with  him,  a  covenant  promise  not  to  curse 
the  ground  any  more  for  man's  sake.  The  reason 
given  for  this  is  singular :  "  For  the  imagination  of 
man's  hedrt  is  evil  from  his  youth."  If  God  had 
dealt  with  man  according  to  law  and  justice,  this 
should  have  been  a  reason  for  destroying,  rather  than 
sparing  him ;  and  was  the  reason  why  the  flood  was 
brought  upon  the  earth.  But  here  he  is  represented 
as  dealing  with  him  through  a  substitute,  for  the 
promise  follows  the  acceptance  of  the  burnt-offering ; 


24  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 


p 


and  in  this  view  the  wickedness  of  man,  however  of- 
fensive, should  not  determine  His  conduct.  He  would, 
as  it  were,  look  off  from  him,  and  rest  his  future  con- 
duct towards  him  on  another  ground.  He  would,  in 
short,  knowing  what  he  was,  deal  with  him  on  a  foot- 
ing of  mercy  and  forbearance. 

Surely  I  need  not  say  that  this  sacrifice  of  Noah 
was  one  of  those  which  bore  a  peculiar  aspect  to  the 
offering  of  the  body  of  Jesus  once  for  all.  It  is  not 
improbable  that  the  apostle  Paul  has  a  direct  allusion 
to  it  when  he  says,  "  Christ  hath  loved  us,  and  given 
himself  for  us,  an  offering  and  a  sacrifice  to  God  for 
a  sweet-smelling  savor."     Ephes.  5  :  2. 

The  body  of  the  Jewish  institutions  was  but  a 
shadow  of  good  things  to  come,  of  which  Christ  was 
the  substance.  Their  priests  and  prophets  and  kings 
were  typical  of  him.  The  manna  on  which  they  fed 
in  the  wilderness  referred  to  him,  as  the  "bread  of 
God  that  should  come  down  from  heaven."  The  rock, 
from  whence  the  water  flowed  that  followed  them  in 
their  journeys,  is  said  to  be  Christ,  as  being  typical  of 
him.  Their  cities  of  refuge  represent  him,  "as  the 
hope  set  before  us."  The  whole  dispensation  served 
as  a  foil,  to  set  off  the  superior  glory  of  his  kingdom. 
The  temple  was  but  as  the  scaffolding  to  that  which 
he  would  build,  and  the  glory  of  which  he  would  bear. 
The  moral  law  exhibited  right  things,  and  the  cere- 
monial law  a  shadow  of  good  things  ;  "but  grace  and 
truth  came  by  Jesus  Christ."  The  Christian  dispen- 
sation is  to  that  of  the  Old  Testament,  as  the  jubilee 
to  a  state  of  captivity.     It  might  be  in  reference  to 


THE  THEME  OF  SCRIPTURE.  25 

such  things  as  these  that  the  psalmist  prayed,  "  Open 
thou  mine  eyes,  that  I  may  behold  wonderful  things 
out  of  thy  law." 

It  is  worthy  of  notice,  that  the  Spirit  of  inspira- 
tion in  the  prophets  is  called  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
1  Pet.  1 :  10,  because  Christ  was  so  frequently  the 
theme  of  it.  The  plaintive  part  of  the  twenty-second 
Psalm  is  applied  more  than  once  to  him.  The  excla- 
mation, verse  1,  "  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou 
forsaken  me?  why  art  thou  so  far  from  helping  me, 
and  from  the  words  of  my  roaring  ?"  he  adopted  as 
his  own.  The  revilings  in  ver.  8  were  used,  inadver- 
tently no  doubt,  by  his  enemies :  "  He  trusted  on  the 
Lord  that  he  would  deliver  him ;  let  him  deliver  him, 
seeing  he  delighted  in  him."  The  kind  of  death  which 
he  endured  was  expressly  pointed  out  in  verse  16, 
"  They  pierced  my  hands  and  my  feet."  Even  the 
circumstance  of  their  casting  lots  for  his  garments  is 
noticed  in  verse  18,  "  They  part  my  garments  among 
them,  and  cast  lots  upon  my  vesture." 

Of  the  prophecies  with  which  the  Scriptures 
abound,  the  person  and  work  of  Christ  were  indeed 
the  principal  theme.  "To  Him  give  all  the  prophets 
witness,"  either  in  what  they  wrote  or  spoke.  "  The 
testimony  of  Jesus  is  the  spirit  of  prophecy."  From 
the  first  mention  of  the  woman's  Seed,  to  his  appear- 
ance in  the  flesh,  the  language  of  prophecy  concerning 
him  became  more  explicit  and  distinct.  The  blessing 
on  Jehovah  the  God  of  Shem  seems  to  intimate  de- 
signs of  mercy  towards  his  descendants.    The  promise 


Atonement. 


26  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

to  Abraham  and  his  seed  is  more  express.  Abraham, 
understanding  it  as  including  the  Messiah,  believed, 
and  it  was  counted  to  him  for  righteousness.  He 
earnestly  desired  to  see  his  day;  he  saw  it,  and  re- 
joiced. Jacob's  prophecy  is  still  more  explicit  and 
distinct.  He  foretells  his  being  of  the  tribe  of  Judah, 
and  that  under  his  reign  the  Gentiles  should  be  gath- 
ered. After  this,  the  house  of  David  is  specified  as 
that  from  which  the  Messiah  should  spring.  The 
Psalms  abound  in  predictions  concerning  him.  Isaiah 
tells  of  his  being  miraculously  born  of  a  virgin — of 
his  humble  and  gentle  character,  not  breaking  the 
bruised  reed,  nor  quenching  the  smoking  flax — of  his 
sufferings,  death,  and  everlasting  kingdom,  which  im- 
plied his  resurrection.  Acts  13  :  34.  Micah  named 
the  town  of  Bethlehem  as  the  place  where  he  should 
be  born.  Zechariah  mentioned  the  beasts  on  which  he 
should  make  his  public  entry  into  Jerusalem.  The 
Spirit  of  inspiration  in  the  prophets  is  called  "the 
Spirit  of  Christ,"  because  it  "testified  beforehand 
the  sufferings  of  Christ,  and  the  glory  that  should 
follow." 

Christ  is  that  of  which  the  Jewish  mercy-seat,  or 
propitiatory,  was  a  type.  The  Jewish  mercy-seat  was 
the  medium  of  mercy  and  communion  with  God  for  all 
the  worshippers  of  God  of  old.  Exod.  25  :  22.  Christ 
is  that  in  reality  which  this  was  in  figure,  and  is  not, 
like  that,  confined  to  a  single  nation.  He  is  the  me- 
dium through  which  all  believers  of  all  ages  and  na- 
tions have  access  to  God  and  receive  the  forgiveness 
of  their  sins. 


THE  THEME  OF  SCRIPTURE.  27 

And  as  the  sufferings  of  Christ  were  the  theme  of 
Old  Testament  prophecy,  so  also  was  the  glory  that 
followed  them.  His  resurrection  and  exaltation  at 
the  right  hand  of  God,  with  the  glorious  success  of 
his  gospel  in  the  world,  are  hinted  at  from  the  nine- 
teenth verse  to  the  end  of  the  twenty-second  Psalm. 

From  Old  Testament  statements  we  learn  that  the 
Messiah,  prefigured  by  the  Jewish  sacrifices,  and  pre- 
dicted by  the  prophets,  was  to  become  a  sacrifice  of 
atonement  or  propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the  world. 
His  soul  was  to  be  "made  an  offering  for  sin."  The 
Lord  was  to  "  lay  on  him  the  iniquity  of  iis  all."  Ho 
was  the  "  Lamb  of  God,"  who  was  to  "  take  away  the 
sin  of  the  world."  But  if  the  Old  Testament  repre- 
sentations were  in  favor  of  the  Messiah's  being  an 
atoning  sacrifice,  the  apostles,  in  declaring  Jesus  to 
be  the  Messiah,  virtually  declared  him  to  be  an  aton- 
ing sacrifice.  That  the  Messiah  predicted  by  the 
prophets  was  to  be  God  manifest  in  the  flesh,  or  God 
in  our  nature.  Unto  the  Son  it  was  said,  "Thy 
throne,  0  God,  is  for  ever  and  ever."  The  child  born 
was  to  be  called  the  mighty  God.  He  who  was  to 
"feed  his  flock  like  a  shepherd,"  to  gather  the  lambs 
with  his  arm,  and  carry  them  in  his  bosom,  was  no 
other  than  "  the  Lord  God,"  who  would  come  with 
strong  hand,  and  whose  arm  should  rule  for  him. 
"  The  goings  forth"  of  Him  who  was  to  be  born  in 
Bethlehem,  "  were  of  old,"  from  everlasting. 

But  if  the  prophetic  representations  of  the  Messiah 
were  in  favor  of  his  being  God  in  our  nature,  the 
apostles,  in  declaring  Jesus  to  be  the  Messiah,  virtu- 


28  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

ally  declared  him  to  be  God  in  our  nature.  Our 
Lord,  in  saying,  I  am  the  Son  of  God,  was  understood 
by  the  Jews  as  claiming  an  equality  with  God ;  and 
he  was,  on  this  account,  accused  of  blasphemy,  and 
finally  put  to  death  ;  and  all  this  without  having  said 
any  thing  that  would  contradict  the  idea  which  they 
entertained.  Jesus  said,  "  My  Father  worketh  hither- 
to, and  I  work.  Therefore  the  Jews  sought  the  more 
to  kill  him,"  because  he  not  only  had  broken  the  Sab- 
bath, but  said  also,  that  God  was  his  Father,  making 
himself  equal  with  God.  "  The  Jews  said,  We  have  a 
law,  and  by  our  law  he  ought  to  die,  because  he  made 
himself  the  Son  of  God."  But  for  the  apostles  under 
these  circumstances,  and  without  explaining  away  the 
supposed  blasphemy,  to  assert  that  Jesus  was  the  Son 
of  God,  was  the  same  thing  as  asserting  him  to  be 
equal  with  God ;  and  their  calling  on  his  murderers 
to  "  repent  and  be  baptized  in  his  name,  for  the  remis- 
sion of  sins,"  was  calling  them  to  retract  their  charge 
of  blasphemy,  to  embrace  him  in  that  very  character 
for  claiming  which  they  had  put  him  to  death,  and 
to  place  all  their  hopes  of  forgiveness  in  his  name, 
by  which  alone  they  could  be  saved.  Acts  2  :  38  ; 
4:12. 

"We  thus  see,  that  if  the  Old  Testament  had  a  uni- 
form bearing  on  the  person  of  Christ,  much  more  the 
New.  This  is  properly  entitled,  "  The  New  Testament 
of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ."  The  one 
abounds  with  prophecies;  the  other  relates  to  their 
accomplishment.  The  ordinances  of  the  former  were 
prefigurative ;  those  of  the  latter  are  commemorative. 
But  both  point  to  the  same  object.     Every  divine 


THE   THEME  OF  SCRIPTURE.  29 

truth  bears  a  relation  to  him :  hence  the  doctrine  of 
the  gospel  is  called,  "  the  truth  as  m  Jesus."  In  the 
face  of  Jesus  Christ  we  see  the  glory  of  the  divine 
character  in  such  a  manner  as  we  see  it  nowhere  else. 
The  evil  nature  of  sin  is  manifested  in  his  cross,  and 
the  lost  condition  of  sinners  in  the  price  at  which  our 
redemption  was  obtained.  Grace,  mercy,  and  peace 
are  in  him.  The  resurrection  to  eternal  life  is  through 
his  death.  In  him  every  precept  finds  its  most  pow- 
erful motive,  and  every  promise  its  most  perfect  fulfil- 
ment. The  Jews  possessed  the  sacred  Scriptures  of 
the  Old  Testament,  and  searched  them,  John  5  :  39, 
thinking  that  in  them  they  had  eternal  life ;  but  they 
would  not  come  to  him,  that  they  might  have  it. 

David  says,  in  the  fortieth  Psalm,  verses  6,  7,  and 
8,  "  Sacrifice  and  offeriug  thou  didst  not  desire ;  mine 
ears  hast  thou  opened :  burnt-offering  and  sin-offering 
hast  thou  not  required.  Then  said  I,  Lo,  I  come :  in 
the  volume  of  the  book  it  is  written  of  me,  I  delight 
to  do  thy  will,  0  my  God :  yea,  thy  law  is  within  my 
heart." 

No  Christian  can  doubt  whether  the  passage  relates 
to  the  Messiah,  seeing  it  is  expressly  applied  to  him 
in  the  New  Testament ;  and  if  a  Jew  should  raise  an 
objection,  he  will  find  it  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to 
give  a  fair  exposition  of  it  on  any  other  principle. 
Who  else,  with  propriety,  could  use  the  language  here 
used  ?  Certainly  David  could  not.  Whether  the  Mes- 
siah, therefore,  be  already  come,  as  we  believe,  or  be 
yet  to  come,  as  the  body  of  the  Jewish  nation  believes, 
it  must  be  of  his  coming  that  the  prophet  speaks.   The 


30  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

question  at  issue  between  them  and  us  is,  not  whether 
the  Scriptures  predict  and  characterize  the  Messiah, 
but  whether  these  predictions  and  characters  be  ful- 
filled in  Jesus. 

That  we  may  be  able  to  judge  of  this  question,  let 
it  be  observed  that  there  are  three  great  peculiarities 
held  up  in  the  passage  as  distinguishing  the  Messiah's 
coming:  That  the  sacrifices  and  ceremonies  of  the 
Mosaic  law  would  thence  be  superseded;  that  the 
great  body  of  Scripture  prophecy  would  be  accom- 
plished ;  and  that  the  will  of  God  would  be  perfectly 
fulfilled. 

I.  It  is  intimated,  that  whenever  the  Messiah 
should  come,  the  sacrifices  and  ceremonies  of  the 
Mosaic  law  were  to  be  superseded  by  him.  "  Sac- 
rifice and  offering  thou  didst  not  desire :  then  said  I, 
Lo,  I  come."  I  am  aware  that  modern  Jewish  writers 
contend  for  the  perpetuity  of  the  ceremonial,  as  well 
as  of  the  moral  law ;  but  in  this  they  are  opposed  both 
by  Scripture  and  by  fact. 

As  to  Scripture^  it  is  not  confined  to  this  passage, 
nor  to  a  few  others :  it  is  common  for  the  sacred  writers 
of  the  Old  Testament  to  speak  of  sacrifices  and  cere- 
monies in  a  depreciating  strain,  such  as  would  not,  I 
presume,  have  been  used,  had  they  been  regarded  for 
their  own  sake,  or  designed  to  continue  always.  Such 
is  the  language  of  the  following  passages :  "  Hath  the 
Lord  as  great  delight  in  burnt-offerings  and  sacrifices 
as  in  obeying  the  voice  of  the  Lord  ?  Behold,  to  obey 
is  better  than  sacrifice,  and  to  hearken  than  the  fat  of 
rams."  "  Hear,  0  my  people,  and  I  will  speak ;  0  Is- 
rael, and  I  will  testify  against  thee :  I  am  God,  even  thy 


THE  THEME  OF  SCRIPTURE.  31 

Godi  I  will  not  reprove  thee  for  thy  sacrifices  or 
thy  burnt-offerings,  to  have  been  continually  before 
me.  I  will  take  no  bullock  out  of  thy  house,  nor  he- 
goats  out  of  thy  folds ;  for  every  beast  of  the  forest  is 
mine,  and  the  cattle  upon  a  thousand  hills.  I  know 
all  the  fowls  of  the  mountains ;  and  the  wild  beasts  of 
the  field  are  mine.  If  I  were  hungry,  I  would  not 
tell  thee ;  for  the  world  is  mine,  and  the  fulness  there- 
of. Will  I  eat  the  flesh  of  bulls,  or  drink  the  blood 
of  goats  ?  Offer  unto  God  thanksgiving,  and  pay  thy 
vows  unto  the  Most  High:  and  call  upon  me  in  the 
day  of  trouble;  I  will  deliver  thee,  and  thou  shalt 
glorify  me."  "  Thou  desirest  not  sacrifice,  else  would 
I  give  it ;  thou  delightest  not  in  burnt-offering.  The 
sacrifices  of  God  are  a  broken  spirit ;  a  broken  and 
a  contrite  heart,  0  God,  thou  wilt  not  despise."  "  To 
what  purpose  is  the  multitude  of  your  sacrifices  unto 
me  ?  saith  the  Lord :  I  am  full  of  the  burnt-offerings 
of  rams,  and  the  fat  of  fed  beasts ;  and  I  delight  not 
in  the  blood  of  bullocks,  or  of  lambs,  or  of  he-goats. 
When  ye  come  to  appear  before  me,  who  hath  required 
this  at  your  hand,  to  tread  my  courts  ?"  "  Thus  saith 
the  Lord  of  hosts,  the  God  of  Israel,  Ye  heap  up  your 
burnt-offerings  with  your  sacrifices,  and  eat  the  flesh. 
But  when  I  brought  your  fathers  out  of  Egypt,  I  spake 
not  unto  them  of  burnt-offerings  and  sacrifices ;  but  this 
I  commanded  them,  saying,  Obey  my  voice,  and  I  will 
be  your  God,  and  ye  shall  be  my  people."  "  And  in  the 
midst  of  the  week  he  shall  cause  the  sacrifice  and  the 
oblation  to  cease."  "Behold,  the  days  come,  saith  the 
Lord,  that  I  will  make  a  new  covenant  with  the  house 
of  Israel,  and  with  the  house  of  Judah :  not  according 


32  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

to  the  covenant  that  I  made  with  their  fathers,  in  the 
day  that  I  took  them  by  the  hand  to  bring  them  out 
of  the  land  of  Egypt ;  which  my  covenant  they  brake, 
although  I  was  a  husband  unto  them,  saith  the  Lord : 
but  this  shall  be  the  covenant  that  I  will  make  with 
the  house  of  Israel  after  those  days,  saith  the  Lord : 
I  will  put  my  law  in  their  inward  parts,  and  write  it 
in  their  hearts,  and  will  be  their  God,  and  they  shall 
be  my  people.  And  they  shall  teach  no  more  every 
man  his  neighbor,  and  every  man  his  brother,  saying. 
Know  the  Lord ;  for  they  shall  all  know  me,  from  the 
least  of  them  unto  the  greatest  of  them,  saith  the 
Lord:  for  I  will  forgive  their  iniquities,  and  will 
remember  their  sins  no  more." 

From  this  passage  a  New  Testament  writer  argues, 
"In  that  he  saith  a  Tiew  covenant,  he  hath  made  the 
first  old.  Now  that  which  decayeth  and  waxeth  old 
is  ready  to  vanish  away."  And  respecting  their  sins 
and  iniquities  being  "  remembered  no  more,"  "  where 
remission  of  these  is,  there  is  no  more  offering  for 
sin." 

Is  it  not  then  in  perfect  harmony  with  the  tenor  of 
the  Old  Testament  scriptures  that  Messiah,  when  de- 
scribed as  coming  into  the  world,  should  say,  "  Sacri- 
fice and  offering  thou  didst  not  desire :  mine  ears  hast 
thou  opened :  burnt-oflfering  and  sin-oJQfering  hast  thou 
not  required :  then  said  I,  Lo,  I  come :"  plainly  inti- 
mating that  he  would  come  to  accomplish  that  which 
could  not  be  accomplished  by  sacrifice  and  offerings  ; 
and  that  as  these  were  but  the  scaffolding  of  his  tem- 
ple, when  that  should  be  reared,  these  should  of  course 
be  taken  down. 


THE   THEME   OF  SCRIPTURE.  33 

But  I  have  asserted  that,  in  maintaining  the  perpe- 
tuity of  the  sacrifices  and  ceremonies  of  the  Mosaic 
law,  modern  Jewish  writers  are  not  only  opposed  by 
Scripture,  but  hj  fact.  Whether  Messiah  the  Prince 
be  come  or  not,  sacrifice  and  oblation  have  ceased. 
We  believe  they  virtually  ceased  when  Jesus  offered 
himself  a  sacrifice,  and  in  a  few  years  after  they  actu- 
ally ceased.  Those  of  the  Jewish  nation  who  believed 
in  Jesus,  voluntarily,  though  gradually,  ceased  to  offer 
them,  and  those  who  did  not  believe  in  him  were  com- 
pelled to  desist  by  the  destruction  of  their  city  and 
temple. 

II.  It  is  suggested,  that  whenever  Messiah  should 

come,  THE  GREAT  BODY  OF  SCRIPTURE  PROPHECY  SHOULD 

BE  ACCOMPLISHED  IN  HIM :  "  In  the  volumc  of  the  book 
it  is  written  of  me."  That  the  prophetic  writings 
abound  in  predictions  of  the  Messiah,  no  Jew  will 
deny ;  the  only  question  is.  Are  they  fulfilled  in  Jesus  ? 
You  know  that  "  the  seed  of  the  woman  was  to 
bruise  the  head  of  the  serpent."  You  know  that 
God  promised  Abraham,  saying,  In  thy  seed  shall  all 
the  nations  of  the  earth  be  blessed.  You  know  that 
Jacob,  when  blessing  the  tribe  of  Judah,  predicted 
the  coming  of  Shiloh^  unto  whom  the  gathering  of  the 
people  should  be.  You  know  that  Moses  spoke  of  a 
Prophet  whom  the  Lord  God  should  raise  up  from  the 
midst  of  them,  like  unto  him,  to  whom  his  ancient  peo- 
ple were  to  hearken,  on  pain  of  incurring  the  divine 
displeasure.  You  know  that  the  Messiah  is  prophet- 
ically described  in  the  Psalms  and  the  prophets  under 
a  great  variety  of  forms,  particularly  as  the  Anointed 
of  the  Lord — ^the  King — the  Lord  of  David,  to  whom 
2* 


34  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

Jehovali  spoke — the  "  child  born,"  whose  name  should 
be  called,  "  the  mighty  God,  the  everlasting  Father, 
the  Prince  of  peace " — the  "  Rod  out  of  the  stem  of 
Jesse  " — "  God's  servant,  whom  he  upholds ;  his  elect, 
in  whom  his  soul  delighteth  " — "  him  whom  man  despis- 
eth,  and  whom  the  nation  abhorreth  " — "  a  man  of  sor- 
rows, and  acquainted  with  grief" — "  the  Lord  our  right- 
eousness"— "Messiah  the  Prince" — "the  Branch" — 
"  the  Messenger  of  the  covenant,"  etc.  Thus  it  was  that 
in  the  volume  of  the  book  it  was  written  of  him. 

1.  The  time  when  Messiah  should  come  is  clearly 
marked  out  in  prophecy.  It  was  said  by  Jacob,  when 
blessing  the  tribes,  "The  sceptre  shall  not  depart 
from  Judah,  nor  a  lawgiver  from  between  his  feet, 
until  Shiloh  come ;  and  unto  him  shall  the  gathering 
of  the  people  be."  All  this  was  true  in  respect  of 
Jesus.  Till  he  came,  though  the  ten  tribes  were  scat- 
tered, Judah  continued  a  people,  and  retained  the 
government ;  but  soon  after  his  death,  they  were  dis- 
persed among  the  nations,  and  have  been  so  ever 
since. 

Again,  it  is  clearly  intimated  in  the  prophecy  of 
Haggai,  for  the  encouragement  of  the  builders  of  the 
second  temple,  that  the  Messiah  should  come  during 
the  standing  of  that  temple,  and  that  the  honor  that 
should  be  done  it  by  his  presence  would  more  than 
balance  its  inferiority,  in  other  respects,  to  the  first. 
"  For  thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.  Yet  once,  it  is  a 
little  while,  and  I  will  shake  the  heavens,  and  the 
earth,  and  the  sea,  and  the  dry  land ;  and  I  will  shake 
all  nations,  and  the  desire  of  all  nations  shall  come  ; 
and  I  will  fill  this  house  with  glory,  saith  the  Lord  of 


THE  THEME  OF  SCRIPTURE.  35 

hosts.  The  silver  is  mine,  and  the  gold  is  mine, 
saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.  The  glory  of  this  latter 
house  shall  be  greater  than  of  the  former,  saith  the 
Lord  of  hosts."  All  this  was  literally  fulfilled  in 
Jesus,  But  soon  after  his  death  the  second  temple 
was  reduced  to  ashes ;  if,  therefore,  Jesus  was  not  the 
Messiah,  it  is  impossible  that  this  prophecy  should 
ever  be  accomplished. 

Again,  the  prophet  Daniel  was  informed  by  the 
angel  Gabriel,  "  Seventy  weeks  are  determined  upon 
thy  people  and  upon  thy  holy  city,  to  finish  the 
transgression,  and  to  make  an  end  of  sins,  and  to 
make  reconciliation  for  iniquity,  and  to  bring  in  ever- 
lasting righteousness,  and  to  seal  up  the  vision  and 
prophecy,  and  to  anoint  the  Most  Holy.  Know  there- 
fore and  understand,  that  from  the  going  forth  of  the 
commandment  to  restore  and  to  build  Jerusalem,  unto 
the  Messiah  the  Prince,  shall  be  seven  weeks,  and 
threescore  and  two  weeks :  the  street  shall  be  built 
again,  and  the  wall,  even  in  troublous  times.  And 
after  threescore  and  two  weeks  shall  Messiah  be  cut 
off,  but  not  for  himself :  and  the  people  of  the  prince 
that  shall  come  shall  destroy  the  city  and  the  sanctu- 
ary; and  the  end  thereof  shall  be  with  a  flood,  and 
unto  the  end  of  the  war  desolations  are  determined. 
And  he  shall  confirm  the  covenant  with  many  for  one 
week :  and  in  the  midst,"  or  half  part "  of  the  week  he 
shall  cause  the  sacrifice  and  the  oblation  to  cease,  and 
for  the  overspreading  of  abominations  he  shall  make 
it  desolate,  even  until  the  consummation,  and  that 
determined  shall  be  poured  upon  the  desolate." 
That  there  should  be  some  difficulty  in  fixing  the 


36  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

dates  and  other  minute  particulars  in  this  prophecy, 
is  no  more  than  may  be  said  of  many  others,  which  yet, 
upon  the  whole,  are  clear  and  decisive.  The  predic- 
tion of  the  seventy  years'  captivity  was  not  under- 
stood by  Daniel  till  he  had  studied  the  subject  with 
attention  ;  and  though  he  made  out  the  number  of  the 
years,  and  concluded  that  they  were  about  fulfilled, 
yet  he  does  not  appear  to  have  discovered  the  exact 
time  of  their  being  so.  Nevertheless,  the  prophecy 
of  seventy  years  was  undoubtedly  fulfilled  in  the 
Babylonish  captivity ;  and  this  of  seventy  weeks  of 
years  is  as  certainly  fulfilled  in  the  appearance  and 
death  of  Jesus.  Such  was  the  effect  of  this  and  other 
prophecies  upon  the  minds  of  the  Jewish  nation,  that 
about  that  time  there  was  a  general  expectation  of 
the  Messiah's  appearance.  Hence,  though  they  re- 
jected Jesus,  yet  they  soon  after  believed  in  Barchocab, 
and  crowned  him  as  their  Messiah,  which  involved 
them  in  a  war  with  the  Romans,  wherein  they  are 
said  to  have  had  a  thousand  cities  and  fortresses 
destroyed,  and  to  have  lost  more  than  five  hundred 
and  eighty  thousand  men.  The  predicted  events 
which  were  to  be  accomplished  at  the  close  of  these 
weeks,  namely,  finishing  transgression,  making  an  end 
of  sins,  making  reconciliation  for  iniquity,  bringing 
in  everlasting  righteousness,  sealing  up  the  vision 
and  prophecy,  and  anointing  the  Most  Holy,  are  in 
perfect  harmony  with  the  New  Testament  history  of 
Jesus ;  and  though  unbelief  may  blind  the  minds  of 
the  Jews  to  some  of  them,  yet  the  sealing  up  of  the 
vision  and  prophecy  is  a  matter  so  notorious,  that  one 
would  think  it  were  impossible  to  deny  it.     Jesus 


THE  THEME  OF  SCRIPTURE.  37 

foretold  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  and  the  temple 
by  the  Romans,  and  his  apostles  foretold  things  relat- 
ing to  the  Christian  church;  but  from  that  time 
their  nation  has  been  not  only  "  without  a  king,  with- 
out a  prince,  and  without  a  sacrifice,"  but  without  a 
prophet. 

Moreover,  it  is  predicted  by  Daniel,  that  shortly 
after  the  Messiah  should  be  cut  off,  the  people  of  the 
prince  that  should  come  would  destroy  the  city  and 
the  sanctuary,  and  that  the  end  thereof  should  be 
desolation.  And  is  it  not  a  fact,  that  about  forty 
years  after  the  death  of  Jesus,  both  the  holy  city  and 
the  sanctuary  were  destroyed  by  the  Romans;  and 
that  such  a  flood  of  desolation  and  misery  attended  it 
as  was  unexampled  in  the  history  of  any  nation  ? 

2.  The  place  where  Messiah  should  be  born,  and 
where  he  should  principally  impart  his  doctrine,  is 
determined.  "  But  thou  Bethlehem  Ephratah,  though 
thou  be  little  among  the  thousands  of  Judah,  yet  out 
of  thee  shall  He  come  forth  unto  me  that  is  to  be 
ruler  in  Israel ;  whose  goings  forth  have  been  from 
of  old,  from  everlasting."  Speaking  of  Galilee  of  the 
nations,  in  connection  with  the  birth  of  the  child 
whose  name  should  be  called  "  the  mighty  Grod,"  it  is 
said,  "  The  people  that  walked  in  darkness  have  seen 
a  great  light:  they  that  dwell  in  the  land  of  the 
shadow  of  death,  upon  them  hath  the  light  shined." 
These  prophecies  were  literally  and  manifestly  ful- 
filled in  Jesus. 

3.  The  family  from  whom  Messiah  should  de- 
scend, is  clearly  ascertained.  So  much  is  said  of  his 
descending  from  David,  that  I  need  not  refer  to  partic- 


38  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

ular  proofs ;  and  the  rather  as  no  Jew  even  will  deny 
it.  The  genealogies  of  Matthew  and  Luke,  whatever 
varieties  there  are  between  them,  agree  in  tracing  his 
pedigree  to  David.  And  though  in  both  it  is  traced 
in  the  name  of  Joseph,  yet  this  appears  to  be  only  in 
conformity  to  the  Jewish  custom  of  tracing  no  pedi- 
gree in  the  name  of  a  female.  The  father  of  Joseph, 
as  mentioned  by  Luke,  seems  to  have  been  his  father 
by  marriage  only ;  so  that  it  was,  in  reality,  Mary's 
pedigree  that  is  traced  by  Luke,  though  under  her 
husband's  name;  and  this  being  the  natural  line  of 
descent,  and  that  of  Matthew  the  legal  one,  by  which 
as  a  king  he  would  have  inherited  the  crown,  there  is 
no  inconsistency  between  them. 

But  whatever  supposed  difficulties  may  at  this 
distance  of  time  attend  the  genealogies,  it  is  remark- 
able that  no  objection  appears  to  have  been  made 
to  them  in  the  early  ages  of  Christianity;  when, 
had  they  been  incorrect,  they  might  easily  have  been 
disproved  by  the  public  registries  which  were  then  in 
being.  Could  the  Jews  in  the  time  of  Jesus  have 
disproved  his  being  of  the  seed  of  David,  his  Messiah- 
ship  would  at  once  have  fallen  to  the  ground;  and 
for  this  they  could  not  be  wanting  in  inclination. 
Had  there,  moreover,  been  any  doubt  on  this  subject, 
the  emperor  Domitian,  in  searching  after  those  who 
were  of  the  seed  of  David,  would  not  have  ordered 
the  relations  of  Jesus  before  him,  who,  when  interro- 
gated, did  not  deny  but  that  they  were  descended 
from  him. 

4.  The  kind  of  miracles  that  Messiah  should  per- 
form is  specified.     Isaiah,  speaking  of  the  coming  of 


THE  THEME   OF  SCRIPTURE.  39 

God  to  save  his  people,  says,  "  Then  the  eyes  of  the 
blind  shall  be  opened,  and  the  ears  of  the  deaf  shall 
be  unstopped.  Then  shall  the  lame  leap  as  a  hart, 
and  the  tongue  of  the  dumb  shall  sing;  for  in  the 
wilderness  shall  waters  break  out,  and  streams  in  the 
desert."  That  such  miracles  were  performed  by 
Jesus,  his  enemies  themselves  bore  witness,  in  that 
they  ascribed  them  to  his  connection  with  Beelzebub. 
"When  his  Messiahship  was  questioned,  he  could  say 
in  the  presence  of  many  witnesses,  "  The  blind  re- 
ceive their  sight,  and  the  lame  walk ;  the  lepers  are 
cleansed,  and  the  deaf  hear ;  the  dead  are  raised  up, 
and  the  poor  have  the  gospel  preached  unto  them." 
The  miracles  of  Jesus  were  distinguished  by  their 
benevolence.  They  were  all  works  of  mercy,  as  well 
as  of  power;  and  this  accorded  with  the  character 
given  of  the  Messiah  in  the  seventy-second  Psalm, 
that  he  "  should  deliver  the  needy  when  he  cried ;  the 
poor  also,  and  him  that  had  no  helper."  Hence,  the 
blind  cried  out,  "  Son  of  David,  have  mercy  on  us." 

5.  It  was  predicted  of  the  Messiah  that  he  should, 
as  a  king,  be  distinguished  by  his  lowliness,  entering 
into  Jerusalem  not  in  a  chariot  of  state,  but  upon  an 
ass,  and  a  colt,  the  foal  of  an  ass.  "  Rejoice  greatly, 
0  daughter  of  Zion ;  shout,  0  daughter  of  Jerusalem : 
behold,  thy  King  cometh  unto  thee :  he  is  just,  and 
having  salvation;  lowly,  and  riding  upon  an  ass,  and 
upon  a  colt,  the  foal  of  an  ass."  To  fulfil  this  proph- 
ecy, it  was  necessary  that  the  Messiah  should  descend 
from  parents  in  low  circumstances,  and  that  the  lead- 
ing people  of  the  land  should  not  accompany  him. 
Had  they  believed  in  him,  and  introduced  him  as  a 


40  ATONEMENT  OF  CHUIST. 

king,  it  must  have  been  in  another  fashion.  But  it 
was  reserved  for  the  common  people  and  the  children 
to  fulfil  the  prophet's  words,  by  shouting,  "  Hosanna 
to  the  Son  of  David ;  blessed  be  he  that  cometh  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord  1" 

6.  It  is  predicted  of  the  Messiah,  that  he  should 
suffer  and  die  by  the  hands  of  wicked  men.  "  Thus 
saith  the  Lord,  the  Redeemer  of  Israel,  and  his  Holy 
One,  to  him  whom  man  despiseth,  to  him  whom  the  na- 
tion abhorreth."  "As  many  were  astonished  at  thee ; 
his  face  was  so  marred  more  than  any  man,  and  his 
form  more  than  the  sons  of  men :  so  shall  he  sprinkle 
many  nations."  "  He  is  despised  and  rejected  of  men ; 
a  man  of  sorrows,  and  acquainted  with  grief:  and  we 
hid  as  it  were  our  faces  from  him ;  he  was  despised, 
and  we  esteemed  him  not.  Surely  he  hath  borne  our 
griefs,  and  carried  our  sorrows;  yet  we  did  esteem 
him  stricken,  smitten  of  God,  and  afflicted.  But  he 
was  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  he  was  bruised 
for  our  iniquities ;  the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was 
upon  him,  and  by  his  stripes  we  are  healed."  "  The 
Lord  hath  laid  on  him  the  iniquities  of  us  all.  He  was 
oppressed,  and  he  was  afflicted,  yet  he  opened  not  his 
mouth :  he  is  brought  as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter ;  and 
as  a  sheep  before  her  shearers  is  dumb,  so  he  openeth 
not  his  mouth.  He  was  taken  from  prison,  and  from 
judgment ;  and  who  shall  declare  his  generation  ?  for 
he  was  cut  off  out  of  the  land  of  the  living ;  for  the 
transgression  of  my  people  was  he  stricken."  "It 
pleased  the  Lord  to  bruise  him :  he  hath  put  him  to 
grief:  when  thou  shalt  make  his  soul  an  offering  for 
sin,  he  shall  see  his  seed,  he  shall  prolong  his  days, 


THE  THEME  OF  SCmPTURE.  41 

and  the  pleasure  of  the  Lord  shall  prosper  in  his 
hand.  He  shall  see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul,  and 
shall  be  satisfied."  "The  Messiah  shall  be  cut  off, 
but  not  for  himself." 

Is  it  not  marvellous  that  the  enemies  of  Jesus 
should  so  exactly  fulfil  the  Scriptures  in  reproaching 
and  crucifying  him ;  using  the  very  speeches,  and  in- 
flicting the  very  cruelties  which  it  was  foretold  they 
would  ?  "  He  trusted  in  the  Lord  that  he  would  de- 
liver him ;  let  him  deliver  him,  seeing  he  delighted  in 
him.  They  parted  my  garments,  and  for  my  vesture 
they  did  cast  lots.  They  gave  me  gall  to  eat,  and 
in  my  thirst  they  gave  me  vinegar  to  drink.  They 
pierced  my  hands  and  my  feet."  These  things  were 
not  true  of  the  writers ;  but  they  were  true  of  Jesus : 
in  him,  therefore,  they  were  fulfilled. 

7.  It  was  foretold  that  the  Messiah,  after  being 
cut  ofi*  out  of  the  land  of  the  living  and  laid  in  the 
grave,  should  rise  from  the  dead.  Nothing  less  can 
be  implied  by  all  the  promises  made  to  him  as  the 
reward  of  his  sufferings ;  for  if  he  had  continued  un- 
der the  power  of  death,  how  could  he  have  seen  his 
seed,  or  prolonged  his  days?  If  his  kingdom  had 
been  that  of  a  mortal  man,  how  could  it  continue  as 
long  as  the  sun  and  moon?  .How  was  he  to  see  of 
the  travail  of  his  soul  and  be  satisfied,  unless  he  sur- 
vived that  travail  ?  But  more  than  this,  it  is  foretold 
that  he  should  rise  from  the  dead  at  so  early  a  period 
as  not  to  "  see  corruption."  The  argument  of  Peter 
from  this  passage  has  never  been  answered ;  David 
said,  "  Thou  wilt  not  suffer  thy  Holy  One  to  see  cor- 
ruption ;"  but  David  did  see  corruption  ;  he  refers  to 


42  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

Him,  therefore,  of  whom  it  is  witnessed  that  he  saw 
no  corruption. 

Lastly,  it  was  foretold  that  the  great  body  of  the 
Jewish  nation  would  not  believe  in  Him  ;  and  that  he 
would  set  up  his  kingdom  among  the  Gentiles.  Such 
is  evidently  the  meaning  of  the  prophet's  complaint, 
"  Who  hath  believed  our  report  ?"  and  of  the  Mes- 
siah's words,  in  another  part  of  the  same  prophecies, 
"  Then  I  said,  I  have  labored  in  vain ;  I  have  spent 
my  strength  for  naught,  and  in  vain ;  yet  surely  my 
judgment  is  with  the  Lord,  and  my  work  with  my 
God.  And  now,  saith  the  Lord,  that  formed  me  from 
the  womb  to  be  his  servant,  to  bring  Jacob  again  to 
him,  Though  Israel  be  not  gathered,  yet  shall  I  be 
glorious  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord,  and  my  God  shall 
be  my  strength.  And  he  said.  If  is  a  light  thing  that 
thou  shouldest  be  my  servant  to  raise  lip  the  tribes  of 
Jacob,  and  to  restore  the  preserved  of  Israel :  I  will 
also  give  thee^for  a  light  to  the  Gentiles,  that  thou 
may  est  be  my  salvation  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth." 

Such  are  some  of  the  evidences  from  which  we 
conclude  that  Jesus  is  the  true  Messiah.  Time,  place, 
family,  miracles,  character,  sufferings,  resurrection, 
and  rejection  by  his  own  countrymen — all  are  fulfilled 
in  Him.  Never  was  such  a  body  of  prophecy  given 
and  accomplished  in  any  other  case.  If  you  will  shut 
your  eyes  upon  the  light,  you  must  abide  the  conse- 
quence; for  our  parts,  we  feel  the  ground  upon 
which  we  stand,  when  we  say,  "  We  know  that  the 
Son  of  God  is  come." 

HI.  It  is  declared,  that  when  the  Messiah  should 
come,  THE  WILL  OP  God  would  be  perfectly  ful- 


THE   THEME  OF  SCRIPTURE.  43 

PILLED  BY  Him  :  "  I  delight  to  do  thy  will,  0  my  God ; 
yea,  thy  law  is  within  my  heart."  Agreeably  to  this, 
the  Messiah  is  denominated  God's  servant,  whom  he 
would  uphold,  in  whom  he  would  be  glorified,  and 
who  should  bring  Jacob  again  to  him. 

The  will  of  God  sometimes  denotes  what  he  ap- 
proves, and  sometimes  what  he  appoints.  The  former 
is  the  rule  of  our  conduct,  the  latter  of  his  own ;  and 
both  we  affirm  to  have  been  fulfilled  by  Jesus. 

In  respect  of  the  divine  precepts,  his  whole  life  was 
in  perfect  conformity  to  them.  All  his  actions  were 
governed  by  love.  The  Jews  were  challenged  to 
convince  him  of  sin ;  and  all  men  are  challenged  to 
do  the  same.  Was  there  ever  such  an  impostor  ?  Nay, 
was  there  ever  such  a  character  seen  among  men? 
Should  the  account  given  of  Him  by  the  evangelist 
be  objected  to,  we  might  answer  from  Rmisseau,  "  The 
Jewish  authors  were  incapable  of  the  diction,  and 
strangers  to  the  morality  contained  in  the  gospels, 
the  marks  of  whose  truth  are  so  striking  and  invinci- 
ble, that  the  inventor  would  be  a  more  astonishing 
character  than  the  hero." 

When  a  sinful  creature  is  said  to  have  the  law  of 
God  in  his  heart,  it  is  said  to  be  written  there,  or  put 
in  him  by  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  but  of  the  Messiah  it  is 
said  to  be  within  him.  His  heart  never  existed  with- 
out the  impression,  and  therefore  needed  not  to  have 
it  put  in  him.  Such  was  Jesus,  and  such  the  spirit 
that  he  manifested  throughout  his  life.  Let  the  person 
besides  him  be  named,  who  dares  to  rest  the  truth  of 
his- pretensions  on  his  being  found  to  be  "holy,  harm- 
less, undefiled,  and  separate  from  sinners."' 


44  ATONEMENT  OF  CHEIST. 

But  it  was  not  merely  to  fulfil  the  divine  precepts 
that  the  Messiah  was  to  come,  but  to  execute  his  pur- 
pose in  saving  lost  sinners.  Even  his  obedience  to  the 
law  was  subservient  to  this,  or  he  could  not  have 
been  "the  Lord  our  righteousness."  He  was  God's 
servant  to  raise  up  the  tribes  of  Jacob,  to  give  light 
to  the  Gentiles,  and  to  be  his  salvation  to  the  ends  of 
the  earth.  In  accomplishing  this,  it  behooved  him  to 
endure  the  penalty,  as  well  as  obey  the  precepts  of 
the  law.  His  soul  must  be  "made  an  offering  for 
sin ;"  he  must  be  "  cut  off  out  of  the  land  of  the  liv- 
ing— cut  off,  but  not  for  himself;  and  this  that  he 
might  "  make  reconciliation  for  iniquity,  and  bring  in 
everlasting  righteousness." 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  the  death  of  Christ  is 
a  subject  of  so  much  importance  in  Christianity  as  to 
be  essential  to  it.  Without  this,  the  sacrifices  and 
prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament  would  be  nearly  void 
of  meaning,  and  the  other  great  facts  recorded  in  the 
New  Testament  divested  of  importance.  It  is  not  so 
much  a  member  of  the  body  of  Christian  doctrine  as 
the  lifeblood  that  runs  through  the  whole  of  it.  The 
doctrine  of  the  cross  is  the  Christian  doctrine.  In 
determining  not  to  know  any  thing,  "save  Jesus 
Christ,  and  him  crucified,"  the  apostle  Paul  did  not 
mean  to  contract  his  researches,  or  to  confine  his  min- 
istry to  a  monotonous  repetition  of  a  favorite  point, 
to  the  neglect  of  other  things;  on  the  contrary,  he 
"  shunned  not  to  declare  all  the  counsel  of  God."  The 
doctrine  of  "  Christ,  and  him  crucified,"  compre- 
hended this.    It  contained  a  scope  which,  inspired  as 


THE  THEME  OF  SCRIPTURE.  45 

he  was,  surpassed  his  powers ;  and  well  it  might,  for 
angels  could  not  comprehend  it,  but  are  described  as 
merely  desiring  to  look  into  it.  There  is  not  an  im- 
portant truth  but  what  is  presupposed  by  it,  included 
in  it,  or  arises  out  of  it;  nor  any  part  of  practical 
religion  but  what  hangs  upon  it. 


46  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 


CHAPTER   III. 

QUALIFICATIONS  OF  THE  LORD  JESUS  TO  MAKE  AN 

ATONEMENT. 

The  apostles  who  saw  the  Lord,  and  who  saw  the 
accomplishment  of  what  the  prophets  foretold,  were 
not  disappointed  in  him.  Their  love  to  him  was  great, 
and  their  representations  of  his  person  and  character 
ran  in  the  same  exalted  strain.  "In  the  beginning 
was  the  Word,"  said  the  beloved  disciple,  "  and  the 
Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was  God.  The 
same  was  in  the  beginning  with  God.  All  things 
were  made  by  him;  and  without  him  was  not  any 
thing  made  that  was  made.  He  was  in  the  world, 
and  the  world  was  made  by  him,  and  the  world  knew 
him  not.  And  the  Word  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt 
among  us,  and  we  beheld  his  glory,  the  glory  as  of 
the  only  begotten  of  the  Father,  full  of  grace  and 
truth."  Thomas  insisted  upon  an  unreasonable  kind 
of  evidence  of  the  resurrection  of  his  Lord  from  the 
dead,  saying,  "Except  I  shall  see  in  his  hands  the 
print  of  the  nails,  and  put  my  finger  into  the  print  of 
the  nails,  and  thrust  my  hand  into  his  side,  I  will  not 
believe."  When  reproved  by  our  Lord's  offering  to 
gratify  him  in  his  incredulous  proposal,  he  confessed, 
with  a  mixture  of  shame,  grief,  and  affection,  that 
however  unbelieving  he  had  been,  he  was  now  satis- 
fied that  it  was  indeed  his  Lord,  and  no  other,  saying. 


QUALIFICATIONS  TO  ATONE.  47 

"  My  Lord  and  my  God."  The  whole  epistle  to  the 
Hebrews  breathes  an  ardent  love  to  Christ,  and  is 
intermingled  with  the  same  kind  of  language.  Jesus 
is  there  represented  as  "  upholding  all  things  by  the 
word  of  his  power  f  as  the  object  of  angelic  adoration ; 
as  he  to  whom  it  was  said,  "  Thy  throne,  0  God,  is  for 
ever  and  ever;"  as  he  who  "laid  the  foundation  of 
the  earth ;"  and  concerning  whom  it  is  added,  "  the 
heavens  are  the  work  of  thy  hands;" -as  superior  to 
Moses,  the  one  being  the  builder  and  owner  of  the 
house,  even  God  who  built  all  things,  and  the  other 
only  a  servant  in  it ;  as  superior  to  Aaron  and  to  all 
those  of  his  order,  "a  great  High-priest — Jesus  the 
Son  of  God;"  and  finally,  as  infinitely  superior  to 
angels,  for,  "  to  which  of  the  angels  said  he,  at  any 
time.  Thou  art  my  Son ;  or.  Sit  on  my  right  hand  ?" 
Hence  the  gospel  is  considered  as  exhibiting  "  a  great 
salvation ;"  and  those  who  neglect  it  are  exposed  to  a 
recompense  of  wrath  which  they  shall  not  escape. 

Paul  could  scarcely  mention  the  name  of  Christ 
without  adding  some  strong  encomium  in  his  praise. 
When  he  was  enumerating  those  things  which  ren- 
dered his  countrymen  dear  to  him,  he  mentions  their 
being  Israelites,  to  whom  pertained  the  adoption,  and 
the  glory,  and  the  covenants,  and  the  giving  of  the 
law,  and  the  service  of  God,  and  the  promises ;  whose 
were  the  fathers,  and  of  whom,  as  concerning  the  flesh, 
Christ  came.  Here,  it  seems,  he  might  have  stopped, 
but  having  mentioned  the  name  of  Christ,  he  could 
not  content  himself  without  adding, "  Who  is  over  all, 
God  blessed  for  ever.  Amen."  Rom.  9  : 4,  5.  Hav- 
ing occasion  also  to  speak  of  him  in  his  epistle  to  the 


48  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

Colosaians,  chapter  1,  as  G-od's  dear  Son,  in  whom  we 
have  redemption  through  his  blood,  even  the  forgive- 
ness of  sins,  he  could  not  forbear  adding,  "  Who  is  the 
image  of  the  invisible  God,  the  first-born  of  every 
creature.  For  by  him  were  all  things  created  that 
are  in  heaven,  and  that  are  in  earth,  visible  and  invis- 
ible, whether  thrones,  or  dominions,  or  principalities, 
or  powers :  all  things  were  created  hy  him,  and  for 
him.  And  he  is  before  all  things,  and  by  him  all 
things  consist." 

As  the  Father  is  allowed  on  all  hands  to  be  a 
divine  person,  whatever  proves  the  divinity  and  per- 
sonality of  the  Son  proves  a  plurality  of  divine  per- 
sons in  the  Godhead.  I  need  not  adduce  the  evidences 
of  this  truth,  the  sacred  Scriptures  are  full  of  them. 
Divine  perfections  are  ordinarily  ascribed  to  him,  and 
divine  worship  is  paid  to  him,  both  by  angels  and  men. 
If  Jesus  Christ  is  not  God,  equal  with  the  Father, 
Christianity  must  have  tended  to  establish  a  system 
of  idolatry  more  dangerous,  because  more  plausible, 
than  that  which  it  came  to  destroy.  The  union  of  the 
divine  and  human  natures  in  the  person  of  Christ,  is 
a  subject  on  which  the  sacred  writers  delight  to  dwell, 
and  so  should  we,  for  herein  is  the  glory  of  the  gospel. 
"Unto  us  a  child  is  born;  and  his  name  shall  be 
called,  the  mighty  God."  He  was  born  in  Bethlehem, 
yet  his  "  goings  forth  were  from  of  old,  from  everlast- 
ing." He  was  made  "  of  the  seed  of  David  according 
to  the  flesh,"  and  "  declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God  with 
power."  "  Of  whom  as  concerning  the  flesh  Christ 
came,  who  is  over  all,  God  blessed  for  ever.    Amen." 


QUALIFICATIONS  TO  ATONE.  49 

In  his  original  nature  he  is  described  as  incapable  of 
death,  and  as  taking  flesh  and  blood  upon  him  to 
qualify  himself  for  enduring  it.  Heb.  2  :  14.  "  He 
was  the  Son  of  God,"  yet  "  touched  with  a  feeling  of 
our  infirmities ;"  "  the  root  and  the  offspring  of  Da- 
vid." The  sacred  Scriptures  lay  great  stress  on  what 
Christ  was  antecedently  to  his  assumption  of  human 
nature,  and  of  the  official  character  of  a  Mediator  and 
Saviour.  The  Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Word 
was  God.  He  who  was  rich,  for  our  sakes  became 
poor,  that  we  through  his  poverty  might  be  rich. 
Who  being  the  brightness  of  his  glory,  and  the  ex- 
press image  of  his  person,  and  upholding  all  things 
by  the  word  of  his  power,  etc.  Who,  being  in  the 
form  of  God,  thought  it  not  robbery,  or  usurpation,  to 
be  equal  with  God ;  but  made  himself  of  no  reputa- 
tion, and  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and 
was  made  in  the  likeness  of  men.  If  divine  person- 
ality be  not  essential  to  Deity,  distinct  from  all  office 
capacity,  and  antecedent  to  it,  what  meaning  is  there 
in  this  language?  An  economical  trinity,  or  that 
which  would  not  have  been  but  for  the  economy  of 
redemption,  is  not  the  trinity  of  the  Scriptures.  It  is 
not  a  trinity  of  divine  persons,  but  merely  of  offices 
personified ;  whereas  Christ  is  distinguished  from  the 
Father  as  the  express  image  or  character  of  his  per- 
son, while  yet  in  his  preincarnate  state. 

The  sacred  Scriptures  lay  great  stress  on  the  char- 
acter of  Christ  as  "  the  Son  of  God."  It  was  this  that 
formed  the  first  link  in  the  Christian  profession,  and 
was  reckoned  to  draw  after  it  the  whole  chain  of  evan- 
gelical truth.    "  I  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son 


50  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

of  God."  From  this  rises  the  great  love  of  God  in 
the  gift  of  him :  "  God  so  loved  the  world  as  to  give 
his  only  begotten  Son"' — the  condescension  of  his  obe- 
dience :  "  Though  he  was  a  Son,  yet  learned  he  obedi- 
ence"— the  efficacy  of  his  blood :  "  The  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ  his  Son  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin" — the  dignity 
of  his  priesthood:  "We  have  a  great  High-priest, 
Jesus  the  Son  of  God" — the  greatness  of  the  sin  of 
unbelief:  "  He  that  believeth  not  is  condemned  already, 
because  he  hath  not  believed  on  the  name  of  the  only 
begotten  Son  of  God" — ^the  greatness  of  the  sin  of 
apostasy:  "Who  have  trodden  under  foot  the  Son  of 
God."  The  incarnation,  resurrection,  and  exaltation 
of  Christ  declared,  but  did  not  constitute  him  the  Son 
of  God;  nor  did  any  of  his  offices,  to  all  which  his 
Sonship  was  antecedent.  God  sent  his  Son  into  the 
world.  This  implies  that  he  was  his  Son  antece- 
dently to  his  being  sent,  as  much  as  Christ's  sending 
his  disciples  implies  that  they  were  his  disciples  before 
he  sent  them.  The  same  may  be  said  of  the  Son  of 
God  being  made  of  a  woman,  made  under  the  law. 
These  terms  no  more  express  that  which  rendered 
him  a  Son,  than  his  being  made  flesh  expresses  that 
which  rendered  him  the  Word.  The  Son  of  God  was 
manifested  to  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil ;  he  must 
therefore  have  been  the  Son  of  God  antecedently  to 
his  being  manifested  in  the  flesh.  But  does  it  follow 
that  because  a  son  among  men  is  inferior  and  posterior 
to  his  father,  therefore  it  must  be  so  with  the  Son  of 
God  ?  If  so,  why  should  his  saying  that  God  was  his 
own  Father  be  considered  as  making  himself  equal  with 
God  ?    Of  the  only  begotten  Son  it  is  not  said  he  was, 


QUALIFICATIONS  TO  ATONE.  51 

or  will  be,  but  he  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  denot- 
ing the  eternity  and  immutability  of  his  character. 
There  never  was  a  point  in  duration  in  which  God 
was  without  his  Son :  he  rejoiced  always  before  him. 
Bold  assertions  are  not  to  be  placed  in  opposition  to 
revealed  truth.  In  Christ's  being  called  the  Son  of 
God  there  may  be,  for  the  assistance  of  our  low  con- 
ceptions, some  reference  to  sonship  among  men ;  but 
not  sufficient  to  warrant  us  to  reason  from  the  one  to 
the  other.  The  sacred  Scriptures  often  ascribe  the 
miracles  of  Christ,  his  sustaining  the  load  of  his  suf- 
ferings, and  his  resurrection  from  the  dead,  to  the 
power  of  the  Father,  ,or  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  rather 
than  to  his  own  divinity.  I  have  read  in  human  writ- 
ings, "But  the  Divinity  within  supported  him  to  bear ;" 
but  I  never  met  with  such  an  idea  in  the  sacred  Scrip- 
tures. They  represent  the  Father  as  upholding  his 
servant,  his  elect  i£i  whom  his  soul  delighted ;  and  as 
sending  his  angel  to  strengthen  him  in  the  conflict. 
While  acting  as  the  Father's  servant,  there  was  a  fit- 
ness in  his  being  supported  by  him,  as  well  as  his  being 
in  all  things  obedient  to  his  will.  But  when  the  value, 
virtue,  or  efficacy  of  what  he  did  and  suiGfered  are 
touched  upon,  they  are  never  ascribed  either  to  the 
Father  or  the  Holy  Spirit,  but  to  himself.  Such  is 
the  idea  suggested  by  those  forequoted  passages. 
"  Who  being  the  brightness  of  his  glory,  and  the  ex- 
press image  of  his  person,  and  upholding  all  things 
by  the  word  of  his  power,  when  he  had  by  himself 
J)urged  our  sins,  sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of  the 
Majesty  on  high."  "  Ye  are  not  redeemed  by  corrupt- 
ible things,  but  by  the  precious  blood  of  Christ." 


52  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

"  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his  Son  cleanseth  us  from 
all  sin."  Much  less  is  said  in  the  sacred  Scriptures 
on  the  divinity  and  personality  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
than  on  those  of  the  Son.  The  Holy  Spirit  not  hav- 
ing become  incarnate,  it  might  be  less  necessary  to 
guard  his  honors,  and  to  warn  men  against  thinking 
meanly  of  him.  All  judgment  was  committed  to  the 
Son,  because  he  was  the  Son  of  man.  Yet  there  is 
enough  said  against  grieving  the  Spirit,  blasphemy 
against  him,  lying  against  him,  doing  despite  to  him, 
and  defiling  his  temple,  to  make  us  tremble.  In  the 
economy  of  redemption,  it  is  the  office  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  not  to  exhibit  himself,  but  to  "  take  of  the  things 
of  Christ,  and  show  them  to  us."  He  is  the  great 
springhead  of  all  the  good  that  is  in  the  world ;  but 
in  producing  it,  he  himself  appears  not.  We  are  no 
otherwise  conscious  of  his  influences  than  by  their 
effects.  He  resembles  the  wind,  which  bloweth  where 
it  listeth :  we  hear  the  sound  and  feel  its  effects,  but 
know  nothing  more  of  it. 

The  Holy  Spirit  is  not  the  grand  object  of  min- 
isterial exhibition,  but  Christ,  in  his  person,  work, 
and  offices.  When  Philip  went  down  to  Samaria, 
it  was  not  to  preach  God  the  Holy  Spirit  unto  them, 
but  to  preach  Christ  unto  them.  While  this  was 
done,  the  Holy  Spirit  gave  testimony  to  the  word 
of  his  grace  and  rendered  it  effectual.  The  more 
sensible  we  are,  both  as  ministers  and  Christians,  of 
our  entire  dependence  on  the  Holy  Spirit's  influ- 
ences the  better ;  but  if  we  make  them  the  grand 
theme  of  our  ministry,  we  shall  do  that  which  he  him- 
self avoids,  and  so  shall  counteract  his  operations. 


QUALIFICATIONS  TO  ATONE.  53 

The  attempts  to  reduce  the  Holy  Spirit  to  a  mere 
property,  or  energy^  of  the  Deity,  arise  from  much  the 
same  source  as  the  attempts  to  prove  the  inferiority 
and  posteriority  of  Christ  as  the  Son  of  God ;  namely, 
reasoning  from  things  human  to  things  divine.  The 
Spirit  of  God  is  compared  to  the  spirit  of  man ;  and 
as  the  latter  is  not  a  person  distinguishable  from  man, 
so  it  has  been  said,  the  former  cannot  be  a  person 
distinguishable  from  God  the  Father.  But  the  design 
of  the  apostle  in  1  Cor.  2  :  11,  was  not  to  represent 
the  Spirit  of  God  as  resembling  the  spirit  of  man  in 
respect  of  his  subsistence,  but  of  his  knowledge ;  and 
it  is  presumptuous  to  reason  from  it  on  a  subject  that 
we  cannot  understand. 

Peter,  in  his  first  sermon,  as  recorded  in  the  second 
chapter  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  addressed  the 
Jews  upon  principles  of  the  truth  of  which  they,  in 
their  consciences,  were  convinced :  "  Ye  men  of  Is- 
rael," said  he,  "  hear  these  words :  Jesus  of  Nazareth, 
a  man  approved  of  God  by  miracles  and  wonders 
and  signs,  which  God  did  by  him  in  the  midst  of  you, 
as  ye  yourselves  also  know,  ye  by  wicked  hands 
have  crucified  and  slain."  Upon  these  principles  he 
grounded  others,  of  which  they  were  not  convinced ; 
namely,  his  resurrection  from  the  dead,  ver.  24-32, 
his  exaltation  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  ver.  33,  his 
being  made  both  Lord  and  Christ,  ver.  36,  and  of  re- 
mission of  sins  through  his  name,  verse  38.  In  his 
next  sermon  he  asserted  him  to  be  the  Son  of  God, 
Acts  3  :  13,  the  Holy  One,  and  the  Just,  the  Prince 
or  author  of  life,  whom  they  had  killed,  preferring  a 


54  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

murderer  before  him,  ver.  14,  15.  If  Jesus  was  the 
author  of  life  in  the  same  sense  in  which  Barabbas 
was  the  destroyer  of  it,  then  was  the  antithesis  proper, 
and  the  charge  adapted  to  excite  the  greatest  alarm. 
It  was  nothing  less  than  declaring  to  them  that,  in 
crucifying  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  they  had  crucified  the 
Lord  of  glory;  or  that  the  person  whom  they  had 
slain  was  no  other  than  the  Creator  of  the  world,  in 
human  nature !  In  the  first  instance  the  apostle  ap- 
pealed to  what  the  Jews  themselves  knew  of  Christ ; 
and  in  the  last,  to  what  he  knew  concerning  him,  who 
with  his  fellow-apostles  had  beheld  his  glory,  the 
glory  as  of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father. 

The  doctrine  of  atonement  by  the  death  of  Christ 
is  one  of  the  great  and  distinguishing  principles  of  the 
gospel,  and  its  importance  is  acknowledged  by  all 
denominations  of  evangelical  Christians.  Yet  there 
are  some  who  suppose  that  this  doctrine  is  not  necessa- 
rily connected  with  the  divinity  of  Christ ;  and  indeed, 
that  it  is  inconsistent  with  it.  It  has  been  objected, 
that  according  to  the  Scriptures,  it  was  the  person 
of  Christ  that  suffered ;  but  that  this  is  inconsistent 
with  his  divinity,  because  divinity  could  not  suffer. 
To  which  it  may  be  answered,  that  though  the  person 
of  Christ  suffered,  yet  that  he  suffered  in  all  that  per- 
tains to  his  person  is  quite  another  thing.  A  great 
and  virtuous  personage  among  men  might  suffer 
death  by  the  axe  or  the  guillotine,  and  this  would  be 
suffering  death  in  his  person ;  and  yet  he  might  not 
suffer  in  his  honor  or  in  his  character,  and  so  not  in 
all  that  pertained  to  him.     A  Christian  might  suffer 


QUALIFICATIONS  TO  ATONE.  55 

martyrdom  in  his  body,  and  yet  his  soul  be  very 
happy.  To  object,  therefore,  that  Christ  did  not  suf- 
fer in  his  person,  because  all  that  pertained  to  him  was 
not  the  immediate  seat  of  suffering,  is  reasoning  very 
inconclusively.  It  is  sufi&cient  if  Christ  suffered  in  that 
part  of  his  person  which  was  susceptible  of  suffering. 
It  has  been  objected,  that  as  humanity  only  is 
capable  of  suffering,  therefore  humanity  only  is  neces- 
sary to  make  atonement.  But  this  objection  proceeds 
upon  the  supposition  that  the  value  of  atonement 
arises  simply  from  suffering,  and  not  from  the  charac- 
ter or  dignity  of  him  who  suffers ;  whereas  the  Scrip- 
ture places  it  in  the  latter,  and  not  the  former.  "  The 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his  Son  cleanse th  us  from  all 
sin."  He  "by  himself  h&ih.  purged  our  sins."  Some 
who  have  allowed  sin  to  be  an  infinite  evil,  and  de- 
serving of  endless  punishment,  have  objected  to  the 
necessity  of  an  infinite  atonement,  by  alleging  that 
the  question  is  not  what  sin  deserves,  but  what  God 
requires  in  order  to  exalt  the  dignity  of  his  govern- 
ment, while  he  displays  the  riches  of  his  grace  in  the 
forgiveness  of  sin.  But  this  objection  implies  that  it 
would  be  consistent  with  the  divine  perfections  to  ad- 
mit not  only  what  is  equivalent  to  the  actual  punish- 
ment of  the  sinner,  but  of  what  is  not  equivalent; 
and  if  so,  what  good  reason  can  be  given  why  God 
might  not  have  entirely  dispensed  with  a  satisfaction, 
and  pardoned  sinners  without  any  atonement?  On 
this  principle  the  atonement  of  Christ  would  be  re- 
solved into  mere  sovereign  appointment,  and  the  ne- 
cessity of  it  would  be  wholly  given  up.  But  if  so, 
there  was  nothing  required  in  the  nature  of  things  to 


66  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

exalt  the  dignity  of  the  divine  government,  while  he 
displayed  the  riches  of  his  grace ;  and  it  could  not 
with  propriety  be  said  that  "  it  became  Him,  for  whom 
are  all  things,  in  bringing  many  sons  to  glory,  to 
make  the  Captain  of  their  salvation  perfect  through 
sufferings." 

If  God  required  less  than  the  real  demerit  of  sin 
for  an  atonement,  then  there  could  be  no  satisfaction 
made  to  divine  justice  by  such  an  atonement.  And 
though  it  would  be  improper  to  represent  the  great 
work  of  redemption  as  a  kind  of  commercial  transac- 
tion between  a  creditor  and  his  debtor,  yet  the  satis- 
faction of  justice  in  all  cases  of  offence  requires  that 
there  be  an  expression  of  the  displeasure  of  the  offended 
against  the  conduct  of  the  offender,  equal  to  what  the  na- 
ture of  the  offence  is  in  reality.  The  end  of  punishment 
is  not  the  misery  of  the  offender,  but  the  general 
good.  Its  design  is  to  express  displeasure  against 
disobedience ;  and  where  punishment  is  inflicted  ac- 
cording to  the  desert  of  the  offence,  there  justice 
is  satisfied.  In  other  words,  such  an  expression 
of  displeasure  is  uttered  by  the  Lawgiver,  that  in 
it  every  subject  of  his  empire  may  read  what  are 
his  views  of  the  evil  which  he  forbids,  and  what  are 
his  determinations  in  regard  to  its  punishment.  If 
sinners  had  received  in  their  own  persons  the  reward 
of  their  iniquity,  justice  would  in  that  way  have  been 
satisfied;  and  if  the  infinitely  blessed  God,  whose 
ways  are  higher  than  our  ways,  and  whose  thoughts 
are  higher  than  our  thoughts,  has  devised  an  expedi- 
ent for  our  salvation,  though  he  may  not  confine  him- 
self to  a  literal  conformity  to  those  rules  of  justice 


3 


QUALIFICATIONS  TO  ATONE.  57 

whicli  he  has  marked  out  for  us,  yet  he  certainly  will 
not  depart  from  the  spirit  of  them.  Justice  must  be 
satisfied  even  in  that  way.  An  atonement  made  by  a 
substitute  in  any  case,  requires  that  the  same  end  be 
answered  as  if  the  guilty  party  had  actually  suffered. 
It  is  necessary  that  the  displeasure  of  the  offended 
should  be  expressed  in  as  strong  terms,  or  in  a  way 
adapted  to  make  as  strong  an  impression  upon  alL/  , 
concerned,  as  if  the  law  had  taken  its  course ;  other- 
wise atonement  is  not  made,  and  mercy  triumphs  at 
the  expense  of  righteousness.  ,^./ 

Let  it  be  inquired,  then,  whether  this  great  end  of 
moral  government  could  have  been  answered  by  the 
sufferings  of  a  mere  creature.  Some  who  deny  the 
divinity  of  Christ  appear  to  be  apprehensive  that  it 
could  not ;  and  have  therefore  supposed  that  God,  in 
order,  it  should  seem,  to  bring  it  within  the  compass 
of  a  creature's  grasp,  required  less  of  his  Son  than 
our  sins  deserved.  It  is  true,  indeed,  if  Christ  be 
only  a  creature,  it  must  be  less,  infinitely  less,  that 
was  accepted,  than  what  was  strictly  deserved.  In 
the  atonement  of  Christ,  God  is  said  to  have  ^'' set 
him  forth  to  be  a  propitiation,  to  declare  his  righteous- 
ness for  the  remission  of  sins."  Now  this,  as  well  as 
the  nature  of  things,  implies  that  one  who  makes  an 
atonement  must  be  of  so  much  account  in  the  scale  of 
being  as  to  attract  the  general  attention.  But  the 
sufferings  of  a  mere  man,  whose  obedience  could  be 
no  more  than  duty,  or  whose  humiliation  contained  in 
it  no  condescension  below  the  place  that  became  him, 
would  be  no  more  adapted  to  excite  the  general  at- 
tention of  the  intelligent  creation,  than  the  sufferings 

3* 


58  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

of  an  insect  would  be  to  attract  the  attention  of  a 
nation.  It  were  as  rational  to  talk  of  the  king  of 
Great  Britain  setting  forth  a  worm  tortured  on  the 
point  of  a  needle  to  declare  his  regard  to  righteous- 
ness while  he  pardoned  the  deluded  votaries  of  a 
Pretender,  as  to  talk  of  a  mere  creature  being  set 
forth  as  a  propitiation  for  the  declaration  of  the  right- 
eousness of  God  in  the  remission  of  human  guilt. 

To  suppose,  because  humanity  only  is  capable  of 
suffering,  that  therefore  humanity  only  is  necessary  to 
make  atonement,  is  to  render  dignity  of  character  of 
no  account.  When  Zaleucus,  one  of  the  Grecian 
kings,  had  made  a  law  against  adultery,  that  whoso- 
ever was  guilty  of  this  crime  should  lose  both  his 
eyes,  his  own  son  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  trans- 
gressor. To  preserve  the  honor  of  the  law,  and  at 
the  same  time  to  save  his  own  son  from  total  blind- 
ness, the  father  had  recourse  to  an  expedient  of  losing 
one  of  his  own  eyes,  and  his  son  one  of  his.  This 
expedient,  though  it  did  not  conform  to  the  letter  of 
the  law,  yet  was  well  adapted  to  preserve  the  spirit 
of  it,  as  it  served  to  evince  to  the  nation  the  de- 
termination of  the  king  to  punish  adultery,  as  much, 
perhaps  even  more,  than  if  the  sentence  had  literally 
been  put  into  execution  against  the  offender.  But  if 
instead  of  this,  he  had  appointed  that  one  eye  of  an 
animal  should  be  put  out,  in  order  to  save  that  of  his 
son,  or  if  a  common  subject  had  offered  to  lose  an 
eye,  would  either  have  answered  the  purpose  ?  The 
animal  and  the  subject  were  each  possessed  of  an 
eye,  as  well  as  the  sovereign.  It  might  be  added, 
too,  that  it  was  mere  bodily  pain  j  and  seeing  it  was 


QUALIFICATIONS  TO  ATONE.    '  59 

in  the  body  only  that  this  penalty  conld  be  endured, 
any  being  that  possessed  a  body  would  be  equally 
capable  of  enduring  it.  True,  they  might  endure  it ; 
but  would  their  suffering  have  answered  the  same 
end?  Would  it  have  satisfied  justice?  Would  it 
have  had  the  same  effect  upon  the  nation,  or  tended 
equally  to  restore  the  tone  of  injured  authority? 

Some  have  placed  all  the  virtue  of  the  atonement 
in  the  appointment  of  God.  But  if  so,  why  was  it  "  not 
possible  that  the  blood  of  bulls  and  of  goats  should 
take  away  sin?"  It  does  not  accord  with  the  divine 
proceedings  to  be  prodigal  of  blood,  especially  in  a 
superior  person,  where  one  far  inferior  might  answer 
the  same  end.  When,  in  order  to  try  Abraham,  Isaac 
was  bound,  and  ready  to  be  sacrificed,  a  lamb  was 
found  for  a  burnt-offering ;  and  if  any  gift  from  the 
divine  Father,  short  of  that  of  his  only  begotten  Son, 
would  have  answered  the  great  purposes  of  moral 
government,  there  is  no  reason  to  think  that  he  would 
have  made  him  a  sacrifice  -,  he  would  have  spared  him, 
and  not  freely  have  "  delivered  him  up  for  us  all." 

It  has  been  objected  against  the  necessity  of 
Christ's  being  a  divine  person  in  order  to  his  making 
atonement,  that  if  he  who  makes  atonement  be  infi- 
nite, it  must  needs  be  followed  by  the  salvation  of  the 
whole  human  race.  But  this  objection  supposes  that 
the  number  of  the  saved  is  to  be  proportioned  to  the 
ability  of  the  Saviour ;  and  then  it  would  seem  that 
Christ  being  a  mere  man,  he  saved  all  that  his  finite 
merit  would  extend  to.  With  just  as  much  propriety 
might  it  be  alleged,  that  the  power  by  which  we  were 
created  could  not  be  infinite ;  for  if  it  had,  there 


60  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

must  then  have  been  an  infinite  number  of  worlds  in 
existence.  And  the  wisdom  and  goodness  by  which 
we  are  saved  cannot  be  infinite;  for  if  so,  all  the 
world,  and  the  fallen  angels  too,  would  be  interested 
in  that  salvation. 

In  short,  the  Deity  and  atonement  of  Christ  hav6 
always,  among  thinking  people,  stood  or  fallen  to- 
gether ;  and  with  them  almost  every  other  important 
doctrine  of  the  gospel.  The  person  of  Christ  is  the 
foundation-stone  on  which  the  church  is  built.  An 
error,  therefore,  on  this  subject  affects  the  whole  of 
our  preaching,  and  the  whole  of  our  religion.  In  the 
esteem  of  the  apostle  Paul,  that  which  nullified  the 
death  of  Christ  was  accounted  to  be  another  gospel ; 
and  he  expressed  his  wish  that  those  who  propagated 
it,  and  so  troubled  the  churches,  were  cut  off.  The 
principle  maintained  by  the  Galatians,  it  is  true,  did 
not  consist  in  a  denial  of  the  Deity  of  Christ ;  but  the 
consequence  is  the  same.  They  taught  that  justifica- 
tion was  by  the  works  of  the  law,  from  whence  the 
apostle  justly  inferred  that  "  Christ  is  dead  in  vain." 
And  he  who  teaches  that  Christ  is  a  mere  creature, 
holds  a  doctrine  which  renders  his  sufferings  of  none 
effect.  If  the  Deity  of  Christ  be  a  divine  truth,  it 
cannot  reasonably  be  denied  that  it  is  of  equal  impor- 
tance with  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  his  right- 
ousness.  If  therefore  a  rejection  of  the  latter  was 
deemed  a  perversion  of  the  gospel,  nothing  less  can 
be  ascribed  to  the  rejection  of  the  former. 

In  the  great  work  of  atonement,  there  are  three 
parties  concerned :  the  Father,  the  criminal  who  has 


QUALIFICATIONS  TO  ATONE.  61 

sinned  against  him,  and  the  "^Mediator  who  under- 
takes his  cause.  The  Father,  in  this  case,  sustains  the 
character  of  a  judge :  "  God  the  Judge  of  all."  The 
criminal  is  supposed  to  stand  before  the  judgment-seat ; 
not,  however,  in  an  impenitent  state  of  mind,  but  like 
Job  when  he  said,  "  Behold,  I  am  vile ;  what  shall  I 
answer  thee?  I  will  lay  my  hand  upon  my  mouth. 
Once  have  I  spoken,  but  I  will  not  answer  j  yea,  twice, 
but  I  will  proceed  no  further.  I  abhor  myself,  and 
repent  in  dust  and  ashes."  Or  like  David  when  he 
said,  "  I  acknowledge  my  transgressions ;  and  my  sin 
is  ever  before  me.  Against  thee,  thee  only,  have  I 
sinned,  'and  done  this  evil  in  thy  sight ;  that  thou 
mightest  be  justified  when  thou  speakest,  and  clear 
when  thou  judgest."  Here  comes  in  the  Mediator. 
The  sinner  could  not  be  heard  for  himself,  nor  par- 
doned in  his  own  name ;  but  believing  in  Christ,  he 
undertakes  to  plead  his  cause.  He  had  said  himself, 
in  effect.  Do  not  condemn  me.  To  this  the  Mediator 
adds.  Do  not  condemn  him. 

On  this  part  of  the  subject  we  must  be  still  more 
particular.  A  Mediator,  especially  one  that  under- 
takes the  cause  of  sinners,  requires  to  have  an  interest 
with  the  Judge ;  to  be  interested  for  the  sinner ;  while 
pleading  for  him,  not  to  palliate,  but  condemn  his  sin ; 
to  be  fully  acquainted  with  his  case ;  and  to  have 
something  to  plead  that  shall  effectually  overbalance 
his  unworthiness.  Let  us  inquire  whether  all  these 
qualifications  be  not  found  in  our  "Advocate  with  the 
Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  righteous." 

He  has  the  higJiest  interest  in  the  favor  of  the  Judge, 
Why?     He  is  his  only  begotten  Son,  who  dwelleth 


62  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

in  his  bosom,  and  who  never  offended  him  at  any- 
time, but  always  did  that  which  was  pleasing  in  his 
sight.  So  well  pleased  was  the  Father  with  his  obe- 
dience unto  death,  that  he  highly  exalted  him,  giving 
him  "  a  name  which  is  above  every  name,  that  at  the 
name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should  bow,  of  things  in 
heaven  and  things  in  earth,  and  that  every  tongue 
should  confess  that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord,  to  the  glory 
of  God  the  Father."  "  The  Father  loveth  the  Son, 
and  hath  given  all  things  into  his  hand."  "Well  might 
he  say,  when  on  earth,  "  I  knew  that  thou  hear  est  me 
always,"  for  he  had,  in  prophecy,  invited  him  to 
prefer  his  request:  "Ask  of  me,  and  I  shall  give 
thee  the  heathen  for  thine  inheritance,  and  the  utter- 
most parts  of  the  earth  for  thy  possession."  Who  can 
doubt  the  success  of  a  cause  in  the  hands  of  such  a 
Mediator? 

He  is  deeply  interested  in  favor  of  the  sinner.  If  we 
had  to  be  tried  before  an  earthly  tribunal,  and  wished 
to  engage  an  advocate,  we  should  certainly  prefer 
one  that  would  so  identify  himself  with  us  as  to  be 
deeply  interested  in  the  issue.  When,  at  Horeb,  Mo- 
ses pleaded  for  Israel  to  be  forgiven,  he  requested  to 
die  rather  than  not  succeed:  "Oh,"  said  he,  "this 
people  have  sinned  a  great  sin.  Yet  now,  if  thou  wilt, 
forgive  their  sin ;  and  if  not,  blot  me,  I  pray  thee, 
out  of  thy  book  which  thou  hast  written."  This  was 
the  true  spirit  of  an  advocate,  and  he  succeeded.  But 
our  Mediator  has  gone  further  than  requesting  to  die : 
he  actually  died  for  us ;  and  his  death  "  is  the  pro- 
pitiation for  our  sins,"  on  which  his  advocacy  is 
founded. 


QUALIFICATIONS  TO  ATONE.  63 

While  pleading  for  sinners,  he  does  not  palliate,  hut 
condemns  their  sin.  If  Moses  had  attempted  to  apolo- 
gize for  Israel's  idolatry,  his  interposition  must  have 
been  rejected.  And  if  it  had  been  possible  for  Christ 
himself  to  have  been  an  Advocate  for  sin,  he  could 
not  have  been  heard.  But  he  was  no  less  averse  from 
sin  than  the  Judge  himself.  If  he  was  made  "  in  the 
likeness"  of  sinful  flesh,  yet  was  there  no  participation 
of  it.  Though  he  descended,  and  lived  among  sinners, 
yet,  in  respect  of  character,  he  was  "  holy,  harmless, 
undefiled,  and  separate"  from  them.  While  advocat- 
ing their  cause,  it  was  in  his  own  proper  character 
of  "  Jesus  Christ  the  rightemisJ^  It  was  because  of  his 
proceeding  on  these  just  and  honorable  principles,  that 
the  Father  approved  and  honored  him :  "  Thou  lovest 
righteousness,  and  hatest  iniquity ;  therefore  God,  thy 
God,  hath  anointed  thee  with  the  oil  of  gladness  above 
thy  fellows." 

He  is  perfectly  acquainted  with  the  case  of  those  whose 
cause  he  undertakes.  There  are  cases  which,  if  the 
advocate  had  known  all,  he  would  not  have  under- 
taken ;  and  which,  for  want  of  his  being  in  possession 
of  the  whole  truth,  fail  in  his  hands.  But  our  Medi- 
ator knows  the  worst  of  us.  He  needs  not  that  any 
should  testify  of  man,  for  he  knows  what  is  in  man. 
When  Simon  the  Pharisee  saw  a  woman  who  was  a 
sinner  standing  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  washing  them 
with  her  tears,  wiping  them  with  the  hairs  of  her 
head,  kissing  them,  and  anointing  them  with  oint- 
ment, and  all  this  without  receiving  any  repulse  from 
him,  he  suspected  that  he  was  deceived,  and  con- 
cluded that  he  could  not  be  that  prophet  who  should 


64  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

come  into  the  world.  Had  lie  known  her  true  char- 
acter, he  supposed  he  would  not  have  permitted  her 
to  touch  him.  To  convince  Simon  that  he  was  not 
ignorant  of  her  character,  he,  by  answering  his  private 
thoughts,  proved  himself  to  be  fully  acquainted  with 
his;  and  proceeded  to  plead  the  cause  of  the  penitent 
sinner,  though  her  sins  were  many,  and  to  justify  him- 
self in  receiving  and  forgiving  her.  Our  Mediator 
not  only  knows  all  our  sins,  but  all  our  wants;  and 
therefore  knows  how  to  provide  for  them.  If  previous 
to  the  prayer  for  Peter,  it  had  been  referred  to  him 
what  should  be  asked  on  his  behalf,  having  no  sus- 
picion of  any  peculiar  temptation  being  at  hand,  he 
might  not  have  been  able  to  say  what  it  was  that  he 
most  needed.  But  his  Advocate,  knowing  the  temp- 
tation that  awaited  him,  framed  his  plea  on  his  behalf 
accordingly :  "  I  have  prayed  for  thee,  that  thy  faith 
fail  not." 

Though  he  finds  no  worthiness  in  the  sinner  on  which 
to  gr(Mnd  his  pleas,  but  the  greatest  unworthiness,  yet  he 
has  that  to  plead  which  effectually  overbalances  it.  It  is 
remarkable  that  in  the  admirable  speech  of  Judah  on 
behalf  of  Benjamin,  he  did  not  draw  his  pleas  from 
the  innocence  of  the  young  man,  nor  from  the  possi- 
bility of  the  cup  being  in  his  sack  without  his  know- 
ledge, nor  from  the  smallness  of  his  offence,  but 
from  his  father's  love  to  him,  and  his  own  engage- 
ment to  bring  him  back  and  set  him  before  him.  I 
need  not  say  that  on  this  principle  our  Mediator  has 
proceeded.  The  charges  against  Benjamin  were  mys- 
terious and  doubtful,  yet  as  Judah  could  not  prove  his 
innocence,  he  admitted  his  guilt.     But  our  guilt  is 


QUALIFICATIONS  TO  ATONE.  66 

beyond  doubt;  in  pleading  our  cause,  the  Advocate 
•  is  supposed  to  rest  it  on  the  propitiation,  in  consider- 
ation of  which  our  unworthiness  is  passed  over,  and 
our  sins  are  forgiven.  The  connection  of  things  is 
often  signified  by  the  order  of  time  in  which  they 
occur.  Thus  the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit,  that  it 
might  appear  to  be  what  it  was,  a  fruit  of  the  death 
of  Christ,  followed  immediately  after  it;  and  thus, 
on  his  having  died  and  risen  from  the  dead,  his  fol- 
lowers are  directed  to  pray  in  his  name.  His  direct- 
ing us  to  pray  in  his  name  conveys  the  same  idea,  as 
to  the  meritorious  cause  of  forgiveness,  as  his  being 
made  Advocate  with  the  Father  on  the  ground  of  his 
propitiation. 

In  order  to  understand  this  subject,  we  need  to 
have  clear  views  of  the  scriptural  doctrine  of  imputa- 
tion. This  term  signifies,  in  general,  to  charge,  reckon, 
or  place  to  account,  according  to  the  dijfferent  objects  to 
which  it  is  applied.  This  word,  like  many  others,  has 
a,  proper  and  a  figurative  meaning. 

First,  it  is  applied  to  the  charging,  reckoning,  or 
placing  to  the  account  of  persons  and  things  that  which 
properly  belongs  to  them.  This  I  consider  as  its 
proper  meaning.  In  this  sense  the  word  is  used  in  the 
following  passages:  "Eli  thought  she,"  Hannah,  "had 
been  drunken."  "  Hanan  and  Mattaniah,  the  treas- 
urers, were  counted  faithful."  "  Let  a  man  so  account 
of  us  as  the  ministers  of  Christ,  and  stewards  of  the 
mysteries  of  God."  "  Let  such  a  one  think  this,  that 
such  as  we  are  in  word  by  letters  when  we  are  absent. 
Such  will  we  be  also  in  deed  when  we.  are  present." 


66  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

"  I  reckon  that  the  sufferings  of  this  present  time  are 
not  worthy  to  be  compared  with  the  glory  that  shall 
be  revealed  in  us."  Reckoning,  or  accounting,  in  the 
above  instances,  is  no  other  than  judging  of  persons 
and  things  according  to  what  they  are,  or  appear  to 
be.  To  impute  sin  in  this  sense,  is  to  charge  guilt 
upon  the  guilty  in  a  judicial  way,  or  with  a  view  to 
punishment.  Thus  Shimei  besought  David  that  his 
iniquity  might  not  be  imputed  to  him ;  thus  the  man 
is  pronounced  blessed  "  to  whom  the  Lord  imputeth 
not  iniquity ;"  and  thus  Paul  prayed  that  the  sin  of 
those  who  deserted  him  might  not  be  laid  to  their 
charge. 

In  this  sense  the  term  is  ordinarily  used  in  com- 
mon life.  To  impute  treason  or  any  other  crime  to  a 
man,  is  the  same  thing  as  charging  him  with  having 
committed  it,  and  this  with  a  view  to  his  being 
punished. 

Secondly,  it  is  applied  to  the  charging,  reckoning, 
or  placing  to  the  account  of  persons  and  things  that 
which  does  not  properly  belong  to  them,  as  though  it  did. 
This  I  consider  as  its  figurative  meaning.  In  this 
sense  the  word  is  used  in  the  following  passages : 
"  And  this  your  heave-offering  shall  be  reckoned  unto 
you  as  though  it  were  the  corn  of  the  threshing-floor, 
and  as  the  fulness  of  the  wine-press."  "  Wherefore 
hidest  thou  thy  face,  and  holdest  me  for  thine  enemy?" 
"  If  the  uncircumcision  keep  the  righteousness  of  the 
law,  shall  not  his  uncircumcision  be  counted  for  circum- 
cision?" "  If  he  hath  wronged  thee,  or  oweth  thee 
aught,  put  that  on  mine  account.''^ 

It  is  in  this  latter  sense  that  I  understand  the  term 


QUALIFICATIONS  TO  ATONE.  67 

when  applied  to  justification.  "Abraham  believed 
God,  and  it  was  counted  unto  him  for  righteousness." 
"  To  him  that  worketh  not,  but  believeth  on  him  that 
justifieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted  for  right- 
eousness." The  counting,  or  reckoning,  in  these  in- 
stances, is  not  a  judging  of  things  as  they  are,  but  as 
they  are  not  as  though  they  were.  I  do  not  think  that 
faith  here  means  the  righteousness  of  the  Messiah,  for 
it  is  expressly  called  believing.  It  means  believing, 
however,  not  as  a  virtuous  exercise  of  the  mind  which 
God  consented  to  accept  instead  of  perfect  obedience, 
but  as  having  respect  to  the  promised  Messiah,  and  so  to 
his  righteousness  as  the  ground  of  acceptance.  Justi- 
fication is  ascribed  to  faith,  as  healing  frequently  is 
in  the  New  Testament — not  as  that  from  which  the 
virtue  proceeds,  but  as  that  which  receives  from  the 
Saviour's  fulness. 

But  if  it  were  allowed  that  faith  in  these  passages 
really  means  the  object  believed  in,  still  this  was  not 
Abraham's  own  righteousness,  and  could  not  be  prop- 
erly counted,  by  Him  who  judges  of  things  as  they  are 
as  being  so.  It  was  reckoned  unto  him  as  if  it  were 
his;  and  the  effects,  or  benefits  of  it,  were  actually 
imparted  to  him:  but  this  was  all.  Abraham  did  not 
become  meritorious,  or  cease  to  be  unworthy. 

"  What  is  it  to  place  our  righteousness  in  the  obe- 
dience of  Christ,"  says  Calvin,  "but  to  affirm  that 
hereby  only  we  are  accounted  righteous  ?  because  the 
obedience  of  Christ  is  imputed  to  us  as  if  it  were  our 
ownJ^ 

It  is  thus  also  that  I  understand  the  imputation  of 
sin  to  Christ.    He  was  accounted  in  the  divine  admin- 


68  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

istration  as  if  he  were  or  had  been  the  sinner,  that  those 
who  believe  in  him  might  be  accounted  as  if  they  were 
or  had  been  righteous. 

I  apprehend  that  many  important  mistakes  have 
arisen  from  considering  the  interposition  of  Christ 
under  the  notion  of  paying  a  debt.  The  blood  of  Christ 
is  indeed  the  price  of  our  redemption,  or  that  for  the 
sake  of  which  we  are  delivered  from  the  curse  of  the 
law ;  but  this  metaphorical  language,  as  well  as  that 
of  head  and  members,  may  be  carried  too  far,  and  may 
lead  us  into  many  errors.  In  cases  of  debt  and  credit 
among  men,  where  a  surety  undertakes  to  represent 
the  debtor,  from  the  moment  his  undertaking  is  ac- 
cepted the  debtor  is  free,  and  may  claim  his  liberty, 
not  as  a  matter  of  favor,  at  least  on  the  part  of  the 
creditor,  but  of  strict  justice.  Or  should  the  under- 
taking be  unknown  to  him  for  a  time,  yet  as  soon  as 
he  knows  it  he  may  demand  his  discharge,  and  it  may 
be,  think  himself  hardly  treated  by  being  kept  in  bond- 
age so  long  after  his  debt  had  been  actually  paid. 
But  who  will  imagine  this  to  be  analogous  to  the 
redemption  of  sinners  by  Jesus  Christ  ?  Sin  is  a  debt 
only  in  a  metaphorical  sense ;  properly  speaking,  it  is 
a  crime,  and  satisfaction  for  it  requires  to  be  made, 
not  on  pecuniary,  but  on  moral  principles.  If  Phile- 
mon had  accepted  of  that  part  of  Paul's  offer  which 
respected  property,  and  had  placed  so  much  to  his 
account  as  he  considered  Onesimus  to  have  "  owed  '^ 
him,  he  could  not  have  been  said  to  have  remitted  his 
debt,  nor  would  Onesimus  have  had  to  thank  him  for 
remitting  it.    But  it  is  supposed  of  Onesimus  that  he 


QUALIFICATIONS  TO  ATONE.  69 

might  not  only  be  in  debt  to  his  master,  but  have 
"  wronged "  him.  Perhaps  he  had  embezzled  his  goods, 
corrupted  his  children,  or  injured  his  character.  Now 
for  Philemon  to  accept  of  that  part  of  the  offer,  were 
very  different  from  the  other.  In  the  one  case  he 
would  have  accepted  of  a  pecuniary  representative,  in 
the  other  of  a  moral  one,  that  is,  of  a  mediator.  The 
satisfaction  in  the  one  case  would  annihilate  the  idea 
of  remission,  but  not  in  the  other.  Whatever  satis- 
faction Paul  might  give  to  Philemon  respecting  the 
wound  inflicted  upon  his  character  and  honor  as  the 
head  of  a  family,  it  would  not  supersede  the  necessity 
of  pardon  being  sought  by  the  offender,  and  freely 
bestowed  bj  the  offended. 

The  reason  for  this  difference  is  easily  perceived. 
Debts  are  transferable,  but  crimes  are  not.  A  third 
person  may  cancel  the  one,  but  he  can  only  obliterate 
the  effects  of  the  other ;  the  desert  of  the  criminal  re- 
mains. The  debtor  is  accountable  to  his  creditor  as  a 
private  individual,  who  has  power  to  accept  of  a  sure- 
ty, or,  if  he  please,  to  remit  the  whole  without  any 
satisfaction.  In  the  one  case  he  would  be  just,  in  the 
other  merciful ;  but  no  place  is  afforded  by  either  of 
them  for  the  combination  of  justice  and  mercy  in  the 
same  proceeding.  The  criminal,  on  the  other  hand,  is 
amenable  to  the  magistrate,  or  to  the  head  of  a  family, 
as  a  public  person,  and  who,  especially  if  the  offence 
be  capital,  cannot  remit  the  punishment  without  in- 
vading law  and  justice,  nor,  in  the  ordinary  discharge 
of  his  office,  admit  of  a  third  person  to  stand  in  his 
place.  In  extraordinary  cases,  however,  extraordi- 
nary expedients  are  resorted  to.     A  satisfaction  may 


70  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

be  made  to  law  and  justice,  as  to  the  spirit  of  them, 
while  the  letter  is  dispensed  with.  The  well-known 
story  of  Zaleucus  the  Grecian  lawgiver,  who  con- 
sented to  lose  one  of  his  eyes  to  spare  one  of  his 
son's  eyes,  who,  by  transgressing  the  law,  had  sub- 
jected himself  to  the  loss  of  both,  is  an  example. 
Here,  as  far  as  it  went,  justice  and  mercy  were 
combined  in  the  same  act ;  and  had  the  satisfaction 
been  much  fuller  than  it  was,  so  full  that  the  au- 
thority of  the  law  instead  of  being  weakened  should 
have  been  abundantly  magnified  and  honored,  still 
it  had  been  perfectly  consistent  with  free  forgive- 
ness. 

Finally,  in  the  case  of  the  debtor,  satisfaction  be- 
ing once  accepted,  justice  requires  his  complete  dis- 
charge; but  in  that  of  the  criminal,  where  satisfac- 
tion is  made  to  the  wounded  honor  of  the  law  and 
the  authority  of  the  lawgiver,  justice,  though  it  ad- 
mits of  his  discharge,  yet  no  otherwise  requires  it 
than  as  it  may  have  been  matter  of  promise  to  the 
substitute. 

I  do  not  mean  to  say  that  cases  of  this  sort  afford 
a  competent  representation  of  redemption  by  Christ. 
That  is  a  work  which  not  only  ranks  with  extraordi- 
nary interpositions,  but  which  has  no  parallel ;  it  is  a 
work  of  God,  which  leaves  all  the  petty  concerns  of 
mortals  infinitely  behind  it.  All  that  comparisons 
can  do  is  to  give  us  some  idea  of  the  principle  on 
which  it  proceeds. 

If  the  following  passage  in  our  admired  Milton 
were  considered  as  the  language  of  the  law  of  inno- 
cence, it  would  be  inaccurate : 


QUALIFICATIONS  TO  ATONE.  71 

"  Man  disobeying  .... 
He  with  his  whole  posterity  must  die; 
Die  he,  or  justice  must;  unless  for  him 
Some  other,  able,  and  as  willing,  pay 
The  rigid  satisfaction,  death  for  death." 

Abstractedly  considered,  this  is  true;  but  it  is  not 
expressive  of  what  was  the  revealed  law  of  innocence. 
The  law  made  no  such  condition  or  provision;  nor 
was  it  indifferent  to  the  Lawgiver  who  should  suffer, 
the  sinner  or  another  on  his  behalf.  The  language 
of  the  law  to  the  transgressor  was  not,  Thou  shalt 
die,  or  some  one  on  thy  behalf,  but  simply.  Thou  shalt 
die :  and  had  it  literally  taken  its  course,  every  child 
of  man  must  have  perished.  The  sufferings  of  Christ 
in  our  stead,  therefore,  are  not  a  punishment  inflicted 
in  the  ordinary  course  of  distributive  justice,  but  an 
extraordinary  interposition  of  infinite  wisdom  and 
love ;  not  contrary  to,  but  rather  above  the  law— de- 
viating from  the  letter,  but  more  than  preserving  the 
spirit  of  it.  Such,  as  well  as  I  am  able  to  explain 
them,  are  my  views  of  the  substitution  of  Christ. 

There  are  several  other  important  tacts,  the  con- 
sideration of  which  is  essential  to  a  clear  view  of  this 
subject.  Obedience  is  not  all  that  the  law  requires 
of  a  guilty  creature — and  in  the  place  of  such  crea- 
tures our  Saviour  stood :  a  guilty  creature  is  not  only 
obliged  to  be  obedient  for  the  future,  but  to  make 
satisfaction  for  the  past.  The  covenant  made  with 
Adam  had  two  branches :  "  Obey,  and  live ;  sin,  and 
die."  Now  the  obedience  of  Christ  did  honor  to  the 
preceptive  part  of  the  covenant,  but  not  to  the  penal 


72  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

part  of  it.  Mere  obedience  to  the  law  would  have 
made  no  atonement,  would  have  afforded  no  expres- 
sion of  the  divine  displeasure  against  sin ;  therefore, 
after  a  life  spent  in  doing  the  will  of  God,  he  must 
lay  down  his  life;  nor  was  it  "possible  that  this  cup 
should  pass  from  him." 

As  obedience  would  have  been  insufficient  with- 
out suffering,  so  it  appears  that  suffering  would  have 
been  insufficient  without  obedience;  the  latter  was 
preparatory  to  the  former.  "  Such  a  High-priest  be- 
came us,  who  is  holy,  harmless,  undefiled,  and  sep- 
arate from  sinners."  And  such  a  meetness  could  not 
have  appeared^  but  by  a  life  of  obedience  to  God.  As 
a  Mediator  between  God  and  man,  it  was  necessary 
that  he  should  be,  and  appear  to  be,  an  enemy  to  sin, 
ere  he  should  be  admitted  to  plead  for  sinners.  Such 
was  our  Redeemer  to  the  last,  and  this  it  was  that 
endeared  him  to  the  Father.  "  Thou  hast  loved  right- 
eousness, and  hated  iniquity ;  therefore  God,  thy  God, 
hath  anointed  thee  with  the  oil  of  gladness  above  thy 
fellows."  Finally,  the  sufferings  of  Christ  could  go 
only  to  the  removal  of  the  curse ;  they  could  afford  no 
title  to  eternal  life,  which  being  promised  on  condition 
of  obedience,  that  condition  must  be  fulfilled  in  order 
to  insure  the  blessing.  Hence  it  is  by  "  the  righteous- 
ness of  one  "  that  we  partake  of  "justification  of  life." 

The  great  ends  designed  were  to  express  God's 
love  of  righteousness  and  his  abhorrence  of  unright- 
eousness ;  and  these  ends  are  answered  by  the  obedi- 
ence and  sufferings  of  Christ,  and  that  in  a  higher 
degree,  owing  to  the  dignity  of  his  character,  than  if 
man  had  either  kept  the  law  or  suffered  the  penalty 


QUALIFICATIONS  TO  ATONE.  78 

for  the  breach  of  it.  But  if  Christ  had  only  obeyed 
the  law  and  had  not  suffered,  or  had  only  suffered 
and  not  obeyed,  one  or  other  of  these  ends  must,  for 
aught  we  can  perceive,  have  failed  of  being  accom- 
plished. But  his  obedience  unto  death,  which  includes 
both,  gloriously  answered  every  end  of  moral  govern- 
ment, and  opened  a  way  by  which  God  could  honora- 
bly, not  only  pardon  the  sinner  who  should  believe  in 
Jesus,  but  bestow  upon  him  eternal  life.  Pardon  be- 
ing granted  with  a  view  to  Christ's  atonement,  would 
evince  the  resolution  of  Jehovah  to  punish  sin ;  and 
eternal  life  being  bestowed  as  a  reward  to  his  obedi- 
ence, would  equally  evince  him  the  friend  of  righteous- 
ness. 

From  these  statements  it  will  be  seen  that  all  re- 
wards to  a  guilty  creature  have  respect  to  the  media- 
tion of  Christ.  Through  the  intimate  union  that  sub- 
sists between  Christ  and  believers,  they  are  not  only 
accepted  in  him,  but  what  they  do  is  accepted  and 
rewarded  for  his  sake.  "  The  Lord  had  respect  to 
Abel,  and  to  his  offering ;"  and  we  are  said  to  "  offer 
up  spiritual  sacrifices  acceptable  to  God,  by  Jesus 
Christ."  As  there  is  no  sin  so  heinous  but  God,  for 
Christ's  sake,  will  forgive  it ;  no  blessing  so  rich,  but 
he  will  bestow  it ;  so  there  is  no  service  so  small,  but 
he  will  reward  it.  A  cup  of  cold  water  given  to  a 
disciple  for  Christ's  sake  will  insure  a  disciple's  re- 
ward. 

God's  graciously  connecting  blessings  with  the 
obedience  of  his  people,  serves  to  show  not  only  his 
love  to  Christ  and  to  them,  but  his  regard  to  rightems- 


74  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

Tiess.  His  love  to  ns  induces  him  to  bless  us,  and  his 
loye  to  righteousness  induces  him  to  bless  us  in  this 
particular  mode.  An  affectionate  parent  designs  to 
confer  a  number  of  favors  on  his  child,  and  in  the  end 
to  bequeath  him  a  rich  inheritance.  He  designs  also 
to  have  his  mind  suitably  prepared  for  the  proper  en- 
joyment of  these  benefits ;  and  therefore,  in  the  course 
of  his  education,  he  studiously  confers  his  favors  by 
way  of  encouragement,  as  rewards  to  acts  of  filial 
duty.  He  gives  him  a  new  garment  for  this,  and  a 
watch  for  that:  for  his  attention  to  the  flocks  and 
herds,  he  shall  have  a  sheep  or  a  cow,  which  he  shall 
call  his  own ;  and  for  his  assiduity  in  tilling  the  soil, 
he  shall  have  the  product  of  a  particular  field.  It  is 
easy  to  perceive  in  this  case  that  the  father  does  not 
consider  these  things  as  properly  the  child's  due,  upon 
a  footing  of  equity,  but  to  manifest  his  approbation 
of  filial  obedience.  Thus  our  heavenly  Father  gives 
grace  and  glory.  Thus  it  is  that  finding  is  connected 
with  seeking,  and  crowns  of  glory  with  overcoming. 
It  is  thus,  as  well  as  by  the  atonement  of  Christ,  that 
"grace  reigns  through  righteousness  unto  eternal 
life."  Those  who  at  the  last  day  shall  be  saved,  will 
be  sufficiently  convinced  that  it  is  all  of  grace,  and 
that  they  have  no  room  for  glorying  but  in  the 
Lord;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  the  moral  govern- 
ment of  God  will  be  honored,  the  equity  of  his  pro- 
ceedings manifested,  and  the  mouths  of  ungodly 
sinners  stopped;  even  when  the  Judge  declares  in 
the  face  of  the  universe,  concerning  the  righteous, 
"  These  shall  walk  with  me  in  white,  for  they  are 
worthy." 


QUALIFICATIONS  TO  ATONE.  75 

A  few  inferences  from  the  doctrines  we  have  now 
stated  shall  close  this  chapter. 

If  the  Deity  of  Christ  be  a  divine  truth,  it  must 
be  the  Father's  will  that  all  men  should  honor  the 
Son  in  the  same  sense,  and  to  the  same  degree,  as 
they  honor  the  Father ;  and  those  who  honor  him  not 
as  God,  will  not  only  be  found  opposing  the  divine 
will,  but  are  included  in  the  number  of  those  who,  by 
refusing  to  honor  the  Son,  honor  not  the  Father  who 
hath  sent  him;  which  amounts  to. nothing  less,  than 
that  the  worship  which  they  pay  to  the  Father  is  un- 
acceptable in  his  sight. 

If  the  Deity  of  Christ  be  a  divine  truth,  he  is  the 
object  of  trust;  and  that  not  merely  in  the  character 
of  a  witness,  but  as  Jehovah,  in  whom  is  everlasting 
strength.  This  appears  to  be  another  characteristic 
of  true  Christians  in  the  New  Testament.  "In  his 
name  shall  the  Gentiles  trust."  "I  know  whom  I 
have  believed,  and  that  he  is  able  to  keep  that  which 
I  have  committed  unto  him."  "In  whom  ye  also 
trusted,  after  ye  heard  the  word  of  truth,  the  gospel 
of  your  salvation."  But  if  it  be  a  characteristic  of 
true  Christianity  so  to  trust  in  Christ  as  to  commit 
the  salvation  of  our  souls  into  his  hands,  how  can  we 
conceive  of  those  as  true  Christians  who  consider  him 
only  as  a  fellow-creature,  and  consequently  place  no 
such  confidence  in  him  ? 

•If  men  by  nature  be  in  a  lost  and  perishing  con- 
dition, and  if  Christ  came  to  seek  and  save  them 
under  those  characters,  as  he  himself  constantly  testi- 
fied, then  all  those  that  were  whole  in  their  own  eyes, 
and  seemed  to  need  no  physician,  as  the  scribes  and 


76  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

Pharisees  of  old,  must  necessarily  be  excluded  from 
an  interest  in  his  salvation.  And  in  what  other  light 
can  those  persons  be  considered  who  deny  the  de- 
pravity of  their  nature,  and  approach  the  Deity  with- 
out respect  to  an  atoning  Saviour  ?     Further, 

If  the  death  of  Christ,  as  an  atoning  sacrifice,  be 
the  only  way  of  a  sinner's  salvation — if  there  be 
"  no  other  name  given  under  heaven  among  men,  by 
which  we  must  be  saved"' — if  this  be  the  foundation 
which  God  hath  laid  in  Zion,  and  if  no  other  will 
stand  in  the  day  of  trial,  how  can  we  conceive  that 
those  who  deliberately  disown  it,  and  renounce  all 
dependence  upon  it  for  acceptance  with  God,  should 
be  yet  interested  in  it?  Is  it  supposable  that  they 
will  partake  of  that  forgiveness  of  sins  which  believ- 
ers are  said  to  receive  for  his  sake,  and  through  his 
name,  who  refuse  to  make  use  of  that  name  in  any  of 
their  petitions  ? 

If  the  doctrine  of  atonement  by  the  cross  of  Christ 
be  a  divine  truth,  it  constitutes  the  very  substance  of 
the  gospel,  and  consequently  is  essential  to  it.  The 
doctrine  of  the  cross  is  represented  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment as  the  grand  peculiarity  and  the  principal  glory 
of  Christianity.  It  occupies  a  large  proportion  among 
the  doctrines  of  Scripture,  and  is  expressed  in  a  vast 
variety  of  language.  Christ  "was  delivered  for  our 
offences,  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  bruised  for 
our  iniquities."  "He  died  for  our  sins."  "By  his 
death  purged  our  sins."  He  is  said  to  "  take,"  or  bear, 
"  away  the  sin  of  the  world  " — to  have  "  made  peace 
through  the  blood  of  his  cross" — "reconciled  us  to 
God  by  his  death  " — "  redeemed  us  by  his  blood  " — 


QUALIFICATIONS  TO  ATONE.  77 

"washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood" — "by 
his  own  blood  obtained  eternal  redemption  for  us  " — 
"purchased  his  church  by  his  own  blood,"  etc.,  etc. 
This  kind  of  language  is  so  interwoven  with  the  doc- 
trine of  the  New  Testament,  that  to  explain  away 
the  one,  is  to  subvert  the  other.  The  doctrine  of  the 
cross  is  described  as  being  not  merely  an  important 
branch  of  the  gospel,  but  the  gospel  itself.  "  We 
preach  Christ  crucified :  unto  the  Jews  a  stumbling- 
block,  and  to  the  Greeks  foolishness ;  but  unto  them 
which  are  called,  both  Jews  and  Greeks,  Christ  the 
power  of  God,  and  the  wisdom  of  God."  "  I  deter- 
mined not  to  know  any  thing  among  you,  save  Jesus 
Christ  and  him  crucified."  "  An  enemy  to  the  cross  of 
Christ "  is  only  another  mode  of  describing  an  enemy 
to  the  gospel.  It  was  reckoned  a  suflScient  refutation 
of  any  principle,  if  it  could  be  proved  to  involve  in  it 
the  consequence  of  Christ's  having  "died  in  vain." 
Christ's  dying  for  our  sins  is  not  only  declared  to  be 
a  divine  truth,  "  according  to  th^  Scriptures,"  but  a 
truth  of  such  importance  that  the  then  present  stand- 
ing and  the  final  salvation  of  the  Corinthians  were 
suspended  upon  their  adherence  to  it.  In  a  word, 
the  doctrine  of  the  cross  is  the  central  point  in  which 
all  the  lines  of  evangelical  truth  meet  and  are  unit- 
ed. What  the  sun  is  to  the  system  of  nature,  that 
the  doctrine  of  the  cross  is  to  the  system  of  the 
gospel;  it  is  the  life  of  it.  The  revolving  planets 
might  as  well  exist  and  keep  their  course  without 
the  attracting  influence  of  the  one,  as  a  gospel  be 
exhibited  worthy  of  the  name  that  should  leave  out 
the  other. 


78  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

From  the  whole,  we  are  directed  to  commit  our 
cause  to  Christ.  We  have  a  cause  pending,  which,  if 
lost,  all  is  lost  with  us,  and  that  for  ever.  We  shall 
not  be  able  to  plead  it  ourselves;  for  every  mouth 
will  be  stopped,  and  all  the  world  become  guilty 
before  God.  Nor  can  any  one  in  heaven  or  earth, 
besides  the  Saviour,  be  heard  on  our  behalf.  If  we 
believe  in  him,  we  have  everlasting  life  ;  but  if  not, 
we  shall  not  see  life,  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth 
on  us. 

We  are  also  directed  by  this  subject  how  to  obtain 
relief  under  the  distress  to  which  our  numerous  sins 
subject  us  as  we  pass  through  life.  We  all  have  re- 
course to  some  expedient  or  other  to  relieve  our  con- 
sciences, when  oppressed  with  guilt.  Some  endeavor 
to  lose  the  recollection  of  it  among  the  cares,  com- 
pany, or  amusements  of  the  world;  others  have  re- 
course to  ceremonial  observances,  and  axe  very  strict 
in  some  things,  hoping  thereby  to  obtain  forgiveness 
for  others ;  on  some  the  death  and  mediation  of  Christ 
have  the  effect  to  render  them  unconcerned,  and  even 
to  embolden  them  in  their  sins.  Painful  as  our  bur- 
dens are,  wq  had  better  retain  them  than  get  relief  in 
any  of  these  methods.  The  only  way  is  to  come  unto 
God  in  the  spirit  of  Job,  or  of  David,  seeking  mercy 
through  the  propitiation.  Thus,  while  we  plead.  Do 
not  condemn  me,  our  Mediator  will  take  it  up,  and 
add.  Do  not  condemn  him. 


HARMONY  WITH  REASON.  79 


CHAPTER    IV. 

REASONABLENESS  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  ATONE- 
MENT— ITS  HARMONY  WITH  THE  VAST  EXtI^NT 
OF    CREATION,    AND    WITH   THE    CHARACTER    OF 

aoD. 

Section  I.  Harmony  of  the  doctrine  with 
REASON.  If  there  is  a  God  who  created  us,  if  we 
have  all  sinned  against  him,  and  if  there  is  reason 
to  believe  that  he  will  call  us  to  account  for  our 
conduct,  all  which  principles  are  generally  admitted, 
a  gloomy  prospect  must  needs  present  itself,  sufficient 
indeed  to  render  man  "  the  slave  of  terror."  It  is  not 
in  the  power  of  any  man  living  who  rejects  the  Bible, 
to  assure  us  that  pardon  will  have  any  place  in  the 
divine  government ;  and  however  light  he  may  make 
of  the  scripture  doctrine  of  hell,  He  who  calls  men  to 
account  for  their  deeds  will  be  at  no  loss  how  or 
where  to  punish  them.  But  allowing  that  God  is 
disposed  to  show  mercy  to  the  guilty,  the  question  is, 
whether  his  doing  so  by  or  without  a  mediator  be 
most  consistent  with  what  we  know  of  fitness  or  pro- 
priety. 

That  pardon  is  bestowed  through  a  mediator  in  a 
vast  variety  of  instances  among  men,  cannot  be  de- 
nied ;  and  that  it  is  proper  it  should  be  so,  must  be 
evident  to  every  thinking  mind.  All  who  are  ac- 
quainted with  the  common  affairs  of  life  must  be 


I 


80  ATONEMENT   OF  CHRIST. 

aware  of  the  necessity  of  such  proceedings,  and  the 
good  effects  of  them  upon  society. 

It  is  far  less  humbling  for  an  offender  to  be  par- 
doned at  his  own  request,  than  through  the  interpo- 
sition of  a  third  person;  for  in  the  one  case,  he 
may  be  led  to  think  that  it  was  his  virtue  and  peni- 
tence which  influenced  the  decision ;  whereas,  in  the 
other,  he  is  compelled  to  feel  his  own  unworthiness : 
and  this  may  be  one  reason  why  the  mediation  of 
Christ  is  so  offensive.  It  is  no  wonder,  indeed,  that 
those  who  deny  humility  to  be  a  virtue,  as  Yolney 
and  many  other  infidels  have  done,  should  be  disgust- 
ed with  a  doctrine  the  professed  object  of  which  is  to 
abase  the  pride  of  man. 

As  forgiveness  without  a  mediator  is  less  hum- 
bling to  the  offender,  so  it  provides  less  for  the 
honor  of  the  offended,  than  a  contrary  proceeding. 
Many  a  compassionate  heart  has  longed  to  go  forth, 
like  David  towards  Absalom,  but  from  a  just  sense 
of  wounded  authority  could  not  tell  how  to  effect  it, 
and  has  greatly  desired  that  some  common  friend 
would  interpose  to  save  his  honor.  He  has  wished 
to  remit  the  sentence,  but  has  felt  the  want  of  a  me- 
diator, at  the  instance  of  whom  he  might  give  effect 
to  his  desires,  and  exercise  mercy  without  seeming  to 
be  regardless  of  justice.  An  offender  who  should  ob- 
ject to  a  mediator  would  be  justly  considered  as  hard- 
ened in  impenitence,  and  regardless  of  the  honor  of 
the  offended;  and  it  is  difficult  to  say  what  other 
construction  can  be  put  upon  the  objections  of  sinners 
to  the  mediation  of  Christ. 

Again,  to  exercise  pardon  without  a  mediator, 


HARMONY  WITH  REASON.  81 

would  be  fixing  no  such  stigma  upon  the  evil  of  the  ^ 
offence  as  is  done  by  a  contrary  mode  of  proceeding. 
Every  man  feels  that  those  faults  which  may  be  over- 
looked on  a  mere  acknowledgment,  are  not  of  a  very 
heinous  nature ;  they  are  such  as  arise  from  inadver- 
tence, rather  than  from  ill  design,  and  include  little 
more  than  an  error  of  the  judgment.  On  the  other  hand, 
every  man  feels  that  the  calling  in  of  a  third  person 
is  making  much  of  the  offence,  treating  it  as  a  serious 
affair,  a  breach  that  is  not  to  be  lightly  passed  over. 
This  may  be  another  reason  why  the  mediation  of 
Christ  is  so  offensive  to  the  enemies  of  the  gospel. 
It  is  no  wonder  that  men  who  are  continually  speak- 
ing of  moral  evil  under  the  palliating  names  of  error, 
frailty,  imperfection,  and  the  like,  should  spurn  a  doc- 
trine the  implication  of  which  condemns  it  to  everlast- 
ing infamy. 

Moreover,  to  bestow  pardon  without  a  mediator 
would  be  treating  the  offence  as  private,  or  passing  i 
over  it  as  a  matter  unknown,  an  affair  which  does  not 
affect  the  well-being  of  society,  and  which  therefore 
requires  no  public  manifestation  of  displeasure  against 
it.  Many  a  notorious  offender  would,  doubtless,  wish 
matters  to  be  thus  conducted,  and  from  an  aversion 
to  public  exposure,  would  feel  strong  objections  to 
the  formal  interposition  of  a  third  person.  Whether 
this  may  not  be  another  reason  of  dislike  to  the  me- 
diation of  Christ,  I  shall  not  decide ;  but  of  this  I  am 
fully  satisfied,  that  the  want  of  a  proper  sense  of  the 
great  evil  of  sin,  as  it  affects  the  moral  government 
of  the  universe,  is  a  reason  why  its  opponents  see  no 

necessity  for  it,  nor  fitness  in  it.     They  prove  that 

4*c 


82  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

they  have  no  delight  in  the  moral  excellency  of  the 
divine  nature,  no  just  sense  of  the  glory  of  moral  gov- 
ernment, and  no  proper  views  of  the  pernicious  and 
widely  extended  influence  of  sin  upon  the  moral  sys- 
tem :  is  it  any  wonder,  therefore,  that  they  should 
be  unconcerned  about  the  plague  being  stayed  by  a 
sacrifice?  Such  views  are  too  enlarged  for  their 
selfish  and  contracted  minds.  The  only  object  of 
their  care,  even  in  their  most  serious  moments,  is  to 
escape  punishment;  for  the  honor  of  God,  and  the 
real  good  of  creation,  they  manifest  no  concern. 

The  amount  is  this  :  If  it  oe  indeed  improper  for 
a  guilty  creature  to  lie  low  before  his  Creator,  if  it  be 
unfit  that  any  regard  should  be  paid  to  the  honor  of 
his  character,  if  the  offence  committed  against  him  be 
of  so  small  account  that  it  is  unnecessary  for  him  to 
express  any  displeasure  against  it,  and  if  it  have  been 
so  private  and  insulated  in  its  operations  as  in  no 
way  to  affect  the  well-being  of  the  moral  system,  the 
doctrine  of  forgiveness  through  a  mediator  is  unrea- 
sonable. But  if  the  contrary  be  true — if  it  be  proper 
for  a  guilty  creature  to  lie  in  the  dust  before  his 
offended  Creator,  if  the  honor  of  the  divine  character 
deserve  the  first  and  highest  regard,  if  moral  evil  be 
the  greatest  of  all  evils,  and  require,  even  where  it  is 
forgiven,  a  strong  expression  of  divine  displeasure 
against  it,  and  if  its  pernicious  influence  be  such, 
that  if  suffered  to  operate  according  to  its  native 
tendency,  it  would  dethrone  the  Almighty,  and  deso- 
late the  universe,  the  doctrine  before  us  must  accord 
with  the  plainest  dictates  of  reason. 

The  sense  of  mankind  with  regard  to  the  necessity 


HARMONY  WITH  REASON.  83 

of  a  mediator,  may  be  illustrated  by  the  following 
similitude :  Let  us  suppose  a  division  of  the  army  of 
one  of  the  wisest  and  best  of  kings,  through  the  evil 
counsel  of  a  foreign  enemy,  to  have  been  disaffected  to 
his  government ;  and  that,  without  any  provocation  on 
his  part,  they  traitorously  conspired  against  his  crown 
and  life.  The  attempt  failed ;  and  the  offenders  were 
seized,  disarmed,  tried  by  the  laws  of  their  country, 
and  condemned  to  die.  A  respite  however  was 
granted  them  during  his  majesty's  pleasure.  At  this 
solemn  period,  while  every  part  of  the  army  and  of 
the  empire  was  expecting  the  fatal  order  for  execution, 
the  king  was  employed  in  meditating  mercy.  But 
how  could  mercy  be  shown ?  "To  make  light  of  a 
conspiracy,"  said  he  to  his  friends,  "  would  loosen  the 
bands  of  good  government :  other  divisions  of  the 
army  might  be  tempted  to  follow  their  example ;  and 
the  nation  at  large  be  in  danger  of  imputing  it  to 
timidity,  fear,  or  some  unworthy  motive." 

Every  one  felt,  in  this  case,  the  necessity  of  a  me- 
diator, and  agreed  as  to  the  general  line  of  conduct 
proper  for  him  to  pursue.  "  He  must  not  attempt," 
said  they, "  to  compromise  the  difference  by  dividing 
the  blame;  that  would  make  things  worse.  He 
must  justify  the  king,  and  condemn  the  outrage  com- 
mitted against  him ;  he  must  offer,  if  possible,  some 
honorable  expedient,  by  means  of  which  the  bestow- 
ment  of  pardon  shall  not  relax,  but  strengthen  just 
authority ;  he  must  convince  the  conspirators  of  their 
crime,  and  introduce  them  in  the  character  of  suppli- 
cants ;  and  mercy  must  be  shown  them  out  of  respect 
to  him,  or  for  his  sake." 


84  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

But  who  could  be  found  to  mediate  in  such  a  cause  ? 
This  was  an  important  question.  A  work  of  this 
kind,  it  was  allowed  on  all  hands,  required  singular 
qualifications.  "  He  must  be  perfectly  clear  of  any 
participation  in  the  offence,"  said  one,  "  or  inclination 
to  favor  it ;  for  to  pardon  conspirators  at  the  inter- 
cession of  one  who  is  friendly  to  their  cause,  would  be 
not  only  making  light  of  the  crime,  but  giving  a 
sanction  to  it." 

"  He  must,"  said  another,  "  be  one  who  on  account 
of  his  character  and  services  stands  high  in  the 
esteem  of  the  king  and  of  the  public ;  for  to  mediate 
in  such  a  cause,  is  to  become  in  a  sort  responsible  for 
the  issue.  A  mediator,  in  effect,  pledges  his  honor 
that  no  evil  will  result  to  the  state  from  granting  his 
request.  But  if  a  mean  opinion  be  entertained  of 
him,  no  trust  can  be  placed  in  him,  and  consequently 
no  good  impression  would  be  made  by  his  mediation 
on  the  public  mind." 

"  I  conceive  it  is  necessary,"  said  a  third, "  that  the 
weight  of  the  mediation  should  bear  a  proportion  to 
the  magnitude  of  the  crime,  and  to  the  value  of  the 
favor  requested;  and  that  for  this  end  it  is  proper 
he  should  be  a  person  of  great  dignity.  For  his  maj- 
esty to  pardon  a  company  of  conspirators  at  the  in- 
tercession of  one  of  their  former  comrades,  or  of  any 
other  obscure  character,  even  though  he  might  be  a 
worthy  man,  would  convey  a  very  diminutive  idea  of 
the  evil  of  the  offence." 

A  fourth  remarked,'that  "  he  must  possess  a  tender 
compassion  towards  the  unhappy  offenders,  or  he  would 
not  cordially  interest  himself  on  their  behalf." 


HARMONY  WITH  REASON.  85 

Finally,  it  was  suggested  by  a  fifth,  that  "  for  the 
greater  fitness  of  the  proceeding,  it  would  be  proper 
that  some  relation  or  connection  should  subsist  between 
the  parties."  "  We  feel  the  propriety,"  said  he,  "  of 
forgiving  an  offence  at  the  intercession  of  a  father,  or 
a  brother ;  or  if  it  be  committed  by  a  soldier,  of  his 
commanding  officer.  Without  some  kind  of  previous 
relation  or  connection,  a  mediation  would  have  the  ap- 
pearance of  an  arbitrary  and  formal  process,  and  prove 
but  little  interesting  to  the  hearts  of  the  community." 

Such  were  the  reasonings  of  the  king's  friends; 
but  where  to  find  the  person  in  whom  these  qualifica- 
tions were  united,  and  what  particular  expedient  could 
be  devised,  by  means  of  which,  instead  of  relaxing, 
pardon  should  strengthen  just  authority,  were  subjects 
too  difficult  for  them  to  resolve. 

Meanwhile,  the  king  and  his  son,  whom  he  greatly 
loved,  and  whom  he  had  appointed  generalissimo  of 
all  his  forces,  had  retired  from  the  company,  and  were 
conversing  about  the  matter  which  attracted  the  gen- 
eral attention. 

"  My  son,"  said  the  benevolent  sovereign,  "  what 
can  be  done  on  behalf  of  these  unhappy  men?  To 
order  them  for  execution  violates  every  feeling  of  my 
heart ;  yet  to  pardon  them  is  dangerous.  The  army, 
and  even  the  empire,  would  be  under  a  strong  temp- 
tation to  think  lightly  of  rebellion.  If  mercy  be  exer- 
cised it  must  be  through  a  mediator  :  and  who  is  qual- 
ified to  mediate  in  such  a  cause  ?  And  what  expedient 
can  be  devised  by  means  of  which  pardon  shall  not 
relax,  but  strengthen  just  authority  ?  Speak,  my  son, 
and  say  what  measures  can  be  pursued." 


86  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

"My  father,"  said  the  prince,  "I  feel  the  insult 
offered  to  your  person  and  government,  and  the  injury 
thereby  aimed  at  the  empire  at  large.  They  have 
transgressed  without  cause,  and  deserve  to  die  without 
mercy.  Yet  I  also  feel  for  them.  I  have  the  heart  - 
of  a  soldier.  I  cannot  endure  to  witness  their  execu- 
tion. What  shall  I  say  ?  On  me  be  this  wrong.  Let 
me  suffer  in  their  stead.  Inflict  on  me  as  much  as  is 
necessary  to  impress  the  army  and  the  nation  with  a 
just  sense  of  the  evil,  and  of  the  importance  of  good 
order  and  faithful  allegiance.  Let  it  be  in  their  pres- 
ence, and  in  the  presence  of  all  assembled.  When 
this  is  done,  let  them  be  permitted  to  implore  and 
receive  your  majesty's  pardon  in  my  name.  If  any 
man  refuse  so  to  implore,  and  so  to  receive  it,  let  him 
die  the  death." 

"  My  son,"  replied  the  king,  "  you  have  expressed 
ray  heart.  The  same  things  have  occupied  my  mind; 
but  it  was  my  desire  that  you  should  be  voluntary  in 
the  undertaking.  It  shall  be  as  you  have  said.  I 
shall  be  satisfied ;  justice  itself  will  be  satisfied ;  and 
I  pledge  my  honor  that  you  also  shall  be  satisfied  in 
seeing  the  happy  effects  of  your  disinterested  conduct. 
Propriety  requires  that  I  stand  aloof  in  the  day  of 
your  affliction ;  but  I  will  not  leave  you  utterly,  nor 
suffer  the  beloved  of  my  soul  to  remain  in  that  condi- 
tion. A  temporary  affliction  on  your  part  will  be 
more  than  equivalent  to  death  on  theirs.  The  dignity 
of  your  person  and  character  will  render  the  suffer- 
ings of  an  hour  of  greater  account,  as  to  the  impres- 
sion of  the  public  mind,  than  if  all  the  rebellious  had 
been  executed ;  and  by  how  much  I  am  known  to  have 


HARMONY  WITH  REASON.  87 

loved  you,  by  so  much  will  my  compassion  to  them, 
and  my  displeasure  against  their  wicked  conduct,  be 
made  manifest.  Go,  my  son,  assume  the  likeness  of  a 
criminal,  and  suffer  in  their  place." 

The  gracious  design  being  communicated  at  court, 
all  were  struck  with  it.  Those  who  had  reasoned  on 
the  qualifications  of  a  mediator  saw  that  in  the  prince 
all  were  united,  and  were  filled  with  admiration ;  but 
that  he  should  be  willing  to  suffer  in  the  place  of  rebels, 
was  beyond  all  that  could  have  been  asked  or  thought. 
Yet  seeing  he  himself  had  generously  proposed  it, 
would  survive  his  sufferings,  and  reap  the  reward  of 
them,  they  cordially  acquiesced.  The  only  difficulty 
that  was  started  was  among  the  judges  of  the  realm. 
They  at  first  questioned  whether  the  proceeding  were 
admissible.  "  The  law,"  said  they,  "  makes  provision 
for  the  transfer  of  debts,  but  not  of  crimes.  Its  lan- 
guage is,  'The  soul  that  sinneth  shall  die.'"  But 
when  they  came  to  view  things  on  a  more  enlarged 
scale,  considering  it  as  an  expedient  on  an  extraordi- 
nary occasion,  and  perceived  that  the  spirit  of  the  law 
would  be  preserved,  and  all  the  ends  of  good  govern- 
ment answered,  they  were  satisfied.  "It  is  not  a 
measure,"  said  they,  "  for  which  the  law  provides,  yet 
it  is  not  contrary  to  the  law,  but  above  it." 

The  day  appointed  arrived.  The  prince  appeared, 
and  suffered  as  a  criminal.  The  hearts  of  the  king's 
friends  bled  at  every  stroke,  and  burned  with  indigna- 
tion against  the  conduct  which  rendered  it  necessary. 
His  enemies,  however,  even  some  of  those  for  whom 
he  suffered,  continuing  to  be  disaffected,  added  to  the 
afiiiction  by  deriding  and  insulting  him  all-  the  time. 


8S  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

At  a  proper  period,  he  was  rescued  from  their  outrage. 
Returning  to  the  palace  amidst  the  tears  and  shouts 
of  the  loyal  spectators,  the  suffering  hero  was  em- 
braced by  his  royal  father,  who,  in  addition  to  the 
natural  affection  which  he  bore  to  him  as  his  son, 
loved  him  for  his  singular  interposition  at  such  a 
crisis.  "Sit  thou,"  said  he,  "at  my  right  hand. 
Though  the  threatenings  of  the  law  be  not  literally 
accomplished,  yet  the  spirit  of  them  is  preserved. 
The  honor  of  good  government  is  secured,  and  th)s 
end  of  punishment  more  effectually  answered,  than  if 
all  the  rebels  had  been  sacrificed.  Ask  of  me  what  I 
shall  give  thee.  No  favor  can  be  too  great  to  be 
bestowed,  even  upon  the  unworthiest,  nor  any  crime 
too  aggrav&;ted  to  be  forgiven  in  thy  name.  I  will 
grant  thee  according  to  thine  own  heart.  Ask  of  me, 
my  son,  what  I  shall  give  thee." 

He  asked  for  the  offenders  to  be  introduced  as 
supplicants  at  the  feet  of  his  father,  for  the  forgive- 
ness of  their  crimes,  and  for  the  direction  of  affairs 
till  order  and  happiness  should  be  perfectly  restored. 

A  proclamation  addressed  to  the  conspirators  was 
now  issued,  stating  what  had  been  their  conduct,  what 
the  conduct  of  their  king,  and  what  of  the  prince. 
Messengers  also  were  appointed  to  carry  it,  with 
orders  to  read  it  publicly,  and  to  expostulate  with 
them  individually,  beseeching  them  to  be  reconciled 
to  their  offended  sovereign,  and  to  assure  them  that  if 
they  rejected  this,  there  remained  no  hope  of  mercy. 

A  spectator  would  suppose  that  in  mercy  so  freely 
offered,  and  so  honorably  communicated,  every  one 
would  have  acquiesced ;  and  if  reason  had  governed 


HARMONY  WITH  REASON.  89 

the  offenders,  it  had  been  so  :  but  many  among  them 
continued  under  the  influence  of  disaffection,  and  dis- 
affection gives  a  false  coloring  to  every  thing. 

The  time  of  the  respite  having  proved  longer  than 
was  at  first  expected,  some  had  begun  to  amuse  them- 
selves with  idle  speculations,  flattering  themselves 
that  their  fault  was  a  mere  trifle,  and  that  it  certainly 
would  be  passed  over.  Indeed,  the  greater  part  of 
them  had  turned  their  attention  to  other  things,  con- 
cluding that  the  king  was  not  in  earnest. 

When  the  proclamation  was  read,  many  paid  no 
sort  of  attention  to  it;  some  insinuated  that  the  mes- 
sengers were  interested  men,  and  that  there  might  be 
no  truth  in  what  they  said;  and  some  even  abused 
them  as  impostors.  So,  having  delivered  their  mes- 
sage, they  withdrew ;  and  the  rebels,  finding  them- 
selves alone,  such  of  them  as  paid  any  attention  to 
the  subject  expressed  their  mind  as  follows : 

"  My  heart,"  said  one,  "  rises  against  every  part  of 
this  proceeding.  Why  all  this  ado  about  a  few  words 
spoken  one  to  another  ?  Can  such  a  message  as  this 
have  proceeded  from  the  king  ?  What  have  we  done 
so  much  against  him,  that  so  much  should  be  made  of 
it?  No  petition  of  ours,  it  seems,  would  avail  any 
thing  ;  and  nothing  that  we  could  say  or  do  could  be 
regarded,  unless  presented  in  the  name  of  a  third  per- 
son. Surely  if  we  present  a  petition  .in  our  own 
names,  in  which  we  beg  pardon,  and  promise  not  to 
repeat  the  offence,  this  might  suffice.  Even  this  is 
more  than  I  can  find  in  my  heart  to  comply  with; 
but  every  thing  beyond  it  is  unreasonable,  and  who 
can  believe  that  the  kins;  can  desire  it  ?" 


90  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

"  If  a  third  person,"  said  another,  "  must  be  con- 
cerned in  the  affair,  what  occasion  is  there  for  one  so 
high  in  rank  and  dignity  ?  To  stand  in  need  of  such 
a  mediator,  must  stamp  our  characters  with  everlast- 
ing infamy.  It  is  very  unreasonable :  who  can  believe 
it  ?  If  the  king  be  just  and  good,  as  they  say  he  is, 
how  can  he  wish  thus  publicly  to  expose  us  ?" 

"I  observe,"  said  a  third,  "that  the  mediator  is 
wholly  on  the  king's  side;  and  one  whom,  though  he 
affects  to  pity  us,  we  have,  from  the  outset,  considered 
as  no  less  our  enemy  than  the  king  himself.  If,  in- 
deed, he  could  compromise  matters,  and  would  allow 
that  we  had  our  provocations,  and  would  promise  us 
redress  and  an  easier  yoke  in  future,  I  should  feel 
inclined  to  hearken ;  but  if  he  have  no  concessions  to 
offer,  I  can  never  be  reconciled." 

"  I  believe,"  said  a  fourth,  "  that  the  king  knows 
very  well  we  have  not  had  justice  done  us,  and  there- 
fore this  mediation  business  is  introduced  to  make  us 
amends  for  the  injury.  It  is  an  affair  settled  some- 
how between  him  and  his  son.  They  call  it  grace^  and 
I  am  not  so  much  concerned  what  they  call  it,  so  that 
my  life  is  spared ;  but  this  I  say,  if  he  had  not  made 
this  or  some  kind  of  provision,  I  should  have  thought 
him  a  tyrant." 

"  You  are  all  wrong,"  said  a  fifth ;  "  I  comprehend 
the  design,  and  am  well  pleased  with  it.  I  hate  the 
government  as  much  as  any  of  you;  but  I  love  the 
mediator,  for  I  understand  it  is  his  intention  to  de- 
liver me  from  its  tyranny.  He  has  paid  the  debt, 
the  king  is  satisfied,  and  I  am  free.  I  will  sue  out 
for  my  right,  and  demand  my  liberty !" 


HARMONY  WITH  REASON.  91 

In  addition  to  this,  one  of  the  company  observed, 
he  did  not  see  what  the  greater  part  of  them  had  to 
do  with  the  proclamation,  unless  it  were  to  give  it  a 
hearing,  which  they  had  done  already.  "  For,"  said 
he,  "  pardon  is  promised  only  to  them  who  are  willing 
to  submit,  and  it  is  well  known  that  many  of  us  are 
unwilling;  nor  can  we  alter  our  minds  on  this  sub- 
ject." 

After  a  while,  however,  some  of  them  were  brought 
to  relent.  They  thought  upon  the  subject-matter  of 
the  proclamation,  were  convinced  of  the  justness  of 
its  statements,  reflected  upon  their  evil  conduct,  and 
were  sincerely  sorry  on  account  of  it.  And  now  the 
mediation  of  the  prince  appeared  in  a  different  light. 
They  cordially  said  Amen  to  every  part  of  the  pro- 
ceeding. The  very  things  which  gave  such  offence 
while  their  hearts  were  disaffected,  now  appeared  to 
them  fit  and  right  and  glorious.  "  It  is  fit,"  said 
they,  "  that  the  king  should  be  honored,  and  that  we 
should  be  humbled ;  for  we  have  transgressed  mthout 
cause.  It  is  right  that  no  regard  should  be  paid  to 
any  petition  of  ours  for  its  own  sake,  for  we  have 
done  deeds  worthy  of  death.  It  is  glorious  that  we 
should  be  saved  at  the  intercession  of  so  honorable  a 
personage.  The  dignity  of  his  character,  together 
with  his  surprising  condescension  and  goodness,  im- 
presses us  more  than  any  thing  else,  and  fills  our 
hearts  with  penitence,  confidence,  and  love.  That 
which  in  the  proclamation  is  called  grace,  is  grace, 
for  we  are  utterly  unworthy  of  it ;  and  if  we  had  all 
suffered  according  to  our  sentence,  the  king  and  his 
throne  had  been  guiltless.     We  embrace  the  media- 


92  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

tion  of  the  prince,  not  as  a  reparation  for  an  injury, 
but  as  a  singular  instance  of  mercy.  And  far  be  it 
from  us  that  we  should  consider  it  as  designed  to  de- 
liver us  from  our  original  and  just  allegiance  to  his 
majesty's  government.  No,  rather  it  is  intended  to 
restore  us  to  it.  We  love  our  intercessor,  and  will 
implore  forgiveness  in  his  name ;  but  we  also  love  our 
sovereign,  and  long  to  prostrate  ourselves  at  his  feet. 
We  rejoice  in  the  satisfaction  which  the  prince  has 
made,  and  all  our  hopes  of  mercy  are  founded  upon 
it;  but  we  have  no  notion  of  being  freed  by  it  pre- 
viously to  our  aquiescence  in  it.  Nor  do  we  desire 
any  other  kind  of  freedom  than  that  which,  while  it 
remits  the  just  sentence  of  the  law,  restores  us  to  his 
majesty's  government.  Oh  that  we  were  once  clear 
of  this  hateful  and  horrid  conspiracy,  and  might  be 
permitted  to  serve  him  with  affection  and  fidelity  all 
the  days  of  our  life  I  We  cannot  suspect  the  sincerity 
of  the  invitation,  or  acquit  our  companions  on  the 
score  of  unwillingness.  Why  should  we  ?  We  do  not 
on  this  account  acquit  ourselves.  On  the  contrary,  it 
is  the  remembrance  of  our  unwillingness  that  now 
cuts  us  to  the  heart.  We  well  remember  to  what  it 
was  owing  that  we  could  not  be  satisfied  with  the  just 
government  of  the  king,  and  afterwards  could  not  com- 
ply with  the  invitations  of  mercy :  it  was  because  we 
were  under  the  dominion  of  a  disaffected  spirit — a 
spirit  which,  wicked  as  it  is  in  itself,  it  would  be 
more  wicked  to  justify.  Our  counsel  is  therefore 
the  same  as  that  of  his  majesty's  messengers,  with 
whom  we  now  take  our  stand.  Let  us  lay  aside 
this  cavilling  humor,  repent,  and  sue  for  mercy  in 


HAEMONY  WITH  REASON.  93 

the  way  prescribed,   ere   mercy  be  hid   from  our 
eyes." 

The  reader,  in  applying  this  supposed  case  to  the 
mediation  of  Christ,  will  do  me  the  justice  to  remem- 
ber that  I  do  not  pretend  to  have  perfectly  represent- 
ed it.  Probably  there  is  no  similitude  fully  adequate 
to  the  purpose.  The  distinction  between  the  Father 
and  the  Son  is  not  the  same  as  that  which  subsists 
between  a  father  and  a  son  among  men:  the  latter 
are  two  separate  beings;  but  to  assert  this  of  the 
former  would  be  inconsistent  with  the  divine  unity. 
Nor  can  any  thing  be  found  analogous  to  the  doctrine 
of  divine  influence,  by  which  the  redemption  of  Christ 
is  carried  into  effect.  And  with  respect  to  the  inno- 
cent voluntarily  suffering  for  the  guilty,  in  a  few  ex- 
traordinary instances  this  principle  may  be  adopted ; 
but  the  management  and  application  of  it  generally 
require  more  wisdom  and  more  power  than  mortals 
possess.  We  may,  by  the  help  of  a  machine,  collect  a 
few  sparks  of  the  electrical  fluid,  and  produce  an  effect 
somewhat  resembling  that  of  lightning ;  but  we  can- 
not cause  it  to  blaze  like  the  Almighty,  nor  "  thunder 
with  a  voice  like  Him." 

Such  are  the  leading  ideas  which  the  Scriptures 
give  us  of  redemption  by  Jesus  Christ.  The  apostle 
Paul  especially  teaches  this  doctrine  with  great  pre- 
cision :  "  Being  justified  freely  by  his  grace,  through 
the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus:  whom  God 
hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation,  through  faith  in  his 
blood,  to  declare  his  righteousness  for  the  remission 
of  sins  that  are  past,  through  the  forbearance  of  God ; 


94  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

to  declare,  I  say,  at  this  time,  his  righteousness :  that 
he  might  be  just,  and  the  justifier  of  him  which  be- 
lieveth  in  Jesus."  Rom.  3  :  24-26.  From  this  pas- 
sage we  may  remark,  first,  that  the  grace  of  God,  as 
taught  in  the  Scriptures,  is  not  that  kind  of  liberality 
which  Unitarians  and  Deists  ascribe  to  him,  wlych 
sets  aside  the  necessity  of  a  satisfaction.  Free  grace, 
according  to  Paul,  requires  a  propitiation,  even  the 
shedding  of  the  Saviour's  hlood,  as  a  medium  through 
which  it  may  be  honorably  communicated.  Secondly, 
redemption  by  Jesus  Christ  was  accomplished,  not  by 
a  satisfaction  that  should  preclude  the  exercise  of 
grace  in  forgiveness,  but  in  which  the  displeasure  of 
God  against  sin  being  manifested,  mercy  to  the  sinner 
might  be  exercised  without  any  suspicion  of  his  hav- 
ing relinquished  his  regards  for  righteousness.  In 
"  setting  forth  Jesus  Christ  to  be  a  propitiation,"  he 
"declared  his  righteousness  for  the  remission  of  sins." 
Thirdly,  the  righteousness  of  God  was  not  only  de- 
clared when  Christ  was  made  a  propitiatory  sacrifice, 
but  continues  to  be  manifested  in  the  acceptance  of 
believers  through  his  name.  He  appears  as  just  while 
acting  the  part  of  a  justifier  towards  every  one  that 
believeth  in  Jesus.  Fourthly,  that  which  is  here  ap- 
plied to  the  blessings  of  forgiveness  and  acceptance 
with  God,  is  applicable  to  all  other  spiritual  blessings : 
all,  according  to  the  Scriptures,  are  freely  communi- 
cated through  the  same  distinguished  medium.  See 
Ephes.  1. 

If  the  idea  of  the  innocent  suffering  in  the  room  of 
the  guilty  were  in  all  cases  inadmissible,  and  utterly 


HARMONY  WITH  REASON.  95 

repugnant  to  the  human  understanding,  how  came  the 
use  of  expiatory  sacrifices  to  prevail  as  it  has,  in  every 
age  and  nation?  Whether  the  idea  first  proceeded 
from  a  divine  command,  as  Christians  generally  be- 
lieve, or  whatever  was  its  origin,  it  has  approved 
itself  to  the  minds  of  men ;  and  not  of  the  most  uncul- 
tivated part  of  mankind  only,  but  of  the  most  learned 
and  polite.  The  sacrifices  of  the  Gentiles,  it  is  true, 
were  full  of  superstition,  and  wi*dely  different,  as  might 
be  expected,  from  those  which  were  regulated  by  the 
Scriptures ;  but  the  general  principle  is  the  same :  all 
agree  in  the  idea  of  the  displeasure  of  the  Deity  being 
appeasable  by  an  innocent  victim  being  sacrificed  in 
the  place  of  the  guilty.  The  idea  of  expiatory  sacri- 
fices, and  of  a  mediation  founded  upon  them,  is  beau- 
tifully expressed  in  the  book  of  Job,  a  book  of  grejat 
antiquity.  "And  it  was  so,  that  after  the  Lord  had 
spoken  these  words  unto  Job,  the  Lord  said  to  Eliphaz 
the  Temanite,  My  wrath  is  kindled  against  thee,  and 
against  thy  two  friends;  for  ye  have  not  spoken  of 
me  the  thing  that  is  right,  as  my  servant  Job  hath. 
Therefore  take  unto  you  now  seven  bullocks  and 
seven  rams,  and  go  to  my  servant  Job,  and  offer  up 
for  yourselves  a  burnt-offering;  and  my  servant  Job 
shall  pray  for  you,  for  him  will  I  accept;  lest  I 
deal  with  you  after  your  folly,  in  that  ye  have  not 
spoken  of  me  the  thing  which  is  right,  like  my  servant 
Job.  So  Eliphaz  the  Temanite  and  Bildad  the  Shu- 
hite  and  Zophar  the  Naamathite  went,  and  did  ac- 
cording as  the  Lord  commanded  them:  the  Lord  also 
accepted  Job.'"'  The  objections  which  are  made  to 
the  sacrifice  of  Christ  equally  apply  to  all  expiatory 


96  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

sacrifices,  the  offering  up  of  which,  had  not  the  for- 
mer superseded  them,  would  have  continued  to  this 
day. 

If  an  innocent  person  offer  to  die  in  the  room  of  a 
guilty  fellow-creature,  it  is  not  ordinarily  accepted ; 
nor  would  it  be  proper  that  it  should,  for  he  may  have 
no  just  right  to  dispose  of  his  life ;  or  if  he  have,  he 
has  no  power  to  resume  it :  there  may  likewise  be  no 
such  relation  between  the  parties,  as  that  the  suffer- 
ing of  the  one  should  express  displeasure  against  the 
conduct  of  the  other.  Besides  this,  there  may  be  no 
great  and  good  end  accomplished  to  society  by  such 
a  substitution :  the  loss  sustained  by  the  death  of  the 
one  .might  be  equal,  if  not  superior  to  the  gain  from 
the  life  of  the  other.  If  the  evil  to  be  endured  might 
be  survived — if  the  relation  between  the  parties  were 
such,  that  in  the  sufferings  of  the  one,  mankind  would 
be  impressed  with  the  evil  of  the  other — and  if  by 
such  a  proceeding  great  advantage  would  accrue  to 
society,  instead  of  being  accounted  inadmissible,  it 
would  be  reckoned  right  and  wise  and  good.  If  a 
dignified  individual,  by  enduring  some  temporary 
severity  from  an  offended  nation,  could  appease  their 
displeasure,  and  thereby  save  his  country  from  the  de- 
stroying sword,  who  would  not  admire  his  disinter- 
ested conduct  ?  And  if  the  offended,  from  motives  of 
humanity,  were  contented  with  expressing  their  dis- 
pleasure by  transferring  the  effect  of  it  from  a  whole 
nation  to  an  individual  who  thus  stepped  forward  on 
their  behalf,  would  their  conduct  be  censured  as  "  in- 
discriminate revenge  ?"  The  truth  is,  the  atonement 
of  Christ  affords  a  display  of  justice  on  too  large  a 


VASTNESS  OF  CREATION.  97 

scale,  and  on  too  humbling  a  principle,  to  approve 
itself  to  a  contracted,  selfish,  and  haughty  mind. 

Section  II.    Harmony  of  the  doctrine  with 

THE   VAST    EXTENT   OP    CREATION.      It   Is    COmmon    for 

unbelievers  to  impute  the  progress  of  their  principles 
to  the  prevalence  of  true  philosophy.  The  world, 
they  say,  is  more  enlightened ;  and  a  great  number  of 
discoveries  are  progressively  making,  which  render 
the  credibility  of  the  Scriptures  more  and  more  sus- 
picious. It  is  now  a  commonly  received  opinion,  for 
instance,  among  men  of  science,  that  this  world  is  but 
a  point  in  creation;  that  every  planet  is  a  world,  and 
all  the  fixed  stars  so  many  suns  in  the  centres  of  so 
many  systems  of  worlds ;  and  that,  as  every  part  of 
creation  within  our  knowledge  teems  with  life,  and 
as  God  has  n\ade  nothing  in  vain,  it  is  highly  prob- 
able that  all  these  worlds  are  inhabited  by  intelligent 
beings,  who  are  capable  of  knowing  and  adoring  their 
Creator.  But  if  this  be  true,  how  incredible  is  it 
that  so  great  a  portion  of  regard  should  be  exercised 
by  the  supreme  Being  towards  man  as  the  Scriptures 
represent ;  how  incredible,  especially,  it  must  appear 
to  a  thinking  mind,  that  Deity  should  become  incar- 
nate, should  take  human  nature  into  the  most  inti- 
mate union  with  himself,  and  thereby  raise  it  to  such 
singular  eminency  in  the  scale  of  being,  though 
compared  with  the  whole  of  creation,  if  we  compre- 
hend even  the  whole  species,  it  be  less  than  a  nest 
of  insects  compared  with  the  unnumbered  millions 
of  animated  beings  which  inhabit  the  earth!  This 
objection,  there  is  reason  to  think,  has  had  a  very 

Atonement.  f) 


98  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

considerable  influence  on  the  speculating  part  of  man- 
kind. 


Admitting  that  the  intelligent  creation  is  as  extensive 
as  modern  philosophy  supposes^  the  credibility  of  redemp- 
tion is  not  thereby  weakened;  but  on  the  contrary,  in 
many  respects  is  strengthened  and  aggrandized.  I  shall 
offer  a  few  observations  on  each  of  the  branches  of 
this  position. 

The  scripture  doctrine  of  redemption,  it  is  ac- 
knowledged, supposes  that  man,  mean  and  little  as 
he  is  in  the  scale  of  being,  has  occupied  a  peculiar 
portion  of  the  divine  regard.  It  requires  to  be  no- 
ticed, however,  that  the  enemies  of  revelation,  in 
order,  it  should  seem,  to  give  the  greater  force  to 
their  objection,  diminish  the  importance  of  man  as  a 
creature  of  God,  beyond  what  its  frieniis  can  admit. 
The  hope  of  a  future  state  is  objected  to  by  many  as 
a  selfish  principle ;  and  others  have  attempted  to  hold 
it  up  to  ridicule.  But  the  immortality  of  man  is  a 
doctrine  which  redemption  supposes;  and  if  this  be 
allowed,  man  is  not  so  insignificant  a  being  as  they 
might  wish  to  consider  him.  A  being  that  possesses 
an  immortal  mind,  a  mind  capable  of  increasing 
knowledge,  and  consequently  of  increasing  happiness 
or  misery  in  an  endless  duration,  cannot  be  insig- 
nificant. It  is  no  exaggeration  to  say  that  the  salva- 
tion of  one  soul,  according  to  the  scriptural  account 
of  things,  is  of  inconceivably  greater  moment  than 
the  temporal  salvation  of  a  nation,  or  of  all  the  na- 
tions in  the  world,  for  ten  thousand  ages.  The  eter- 
nal salvation,  therefore,  of  a  number  of  lost  sinners 


VASTNESS  OF  CREATION.  99 

which  no  man  can  number,  however  it  may  be  a  mat- 
ter of  infinite  condescension  in  the  great  Supreme  to 
accomplish,  is  not  an  object  for  creatures,  even  the 
most  exalted,  to  consider  as  of  small  account. 
Having  premised  thus  much,  I  shall  proceed, 
I.  To  offer  a  few  observations  in  proof  that  there 
is  nothing  in  the  scripture  doctrine  of  redemption  which  is 
inconsistent  with  the  modern  opinion  of  tlie  magnitude  of 
creation. 

1.  Let  creation  he  as  extensive  as  it  may,  and  the  num- 
ber of  worlds  he  multiplied  to  tJie  utmost  boimdary  to 
which  tJie  imagination  can  reach,  there  is  no  proof  that  any 
of  t/iem,  except  men  and  angels,  have  apostatized  from 
God,  If  our  world  be  only  a  small  province,  so  to 
speak,  of  God's  vast  empire,  there  is  reason  to  hope 
that  it  is  the  only  part  of  it  where  sin  has  entered, 
except  among  the  fallen  angels,  and  that  the  endless 
myriads  of  intelligent  beings  in  other  worlds,  are  all 
the  hearty  friends  of  virtue,  of  order,  and  of  God. 

2.  Let  creation  be  ever  so  extensive,  there  is  nothing  in- 
consistent with  reason  in  supposing  that  some  one  particu- 
lar part  of  it  should  be  chosen  out  from  the  rest,  as  a  thea- 
tre on  which  the  great  Author  of  all  things  would  perform 
his  most  glorious  works.  Every  empire  that  has  been 
founded  in  this  world  has  had  some  one  particular 
spot  where  those  actions  were  performed  from  which 
its  glory  has  arisen.  The  glory  of  the  Csesars  was 
founded  on  the  event  of  a  battle  fought  near  a  very 
inconsiderable  city  :  and  why  might  not  this  world, 
though  less  than  twenty-five  thousand  miles  in  cir- 
cumference, be  chosen  as  the  theatre  on  which  God 
would  bring  about  events  that  should  fill  his  whole 


100  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

empire  with  glory  and  joy?  It  would  be  as  reason- 
able to  plead  the  insignificance  of  Jidium  or  Agin- 
court,  in  objection  to  the  competency  of  the  victories 
there  obtained — supposing  them  to  have  been  on  the 
side  of  righteousness — to  fill  the  respective  empires  of 
Rome  and  Britain  with  glory,  as  that  of  our  world  to 
fill  the  whole  empire  of  God  with  matter  for  joy  and 
everlasting  praise.  The  truth  is,  the  comparative 
dimension  of  our  world  is  of  no  account.  If  it  be 
large  enough  for  the  accomplishment  of  events  which 
are  sufficient  to  occupy  the  minds  of  all  intelligences, 
that  is  all  which  is  required. 

3.  If  any  one  part  of  GodJs  creation,  rather  than  an- 
other, possessed  a  superior  fitness  to  become  a  theatre  on 
which  he  might  display  his  glory,  it  should  seem  to  be  that 
part  where  the  greatest  efforts  have  been  made  to  dishonor 
him.  A  rebellious  province  in  an  empire  would  be 
the  fittest  place  in  it  in  which  to  display  the  justice, 
goodness,  and  benignity  of  a  government.  Here 
would  naturally  be  erected  a  banner  of  righteous- 
ness; here  the  war  would  be  carried  on;  here  par- 
dons and  punishments  to  different  persons  would  be 
awarded;  and  here  the-  honors  of  the  government 
would  be  established  on  such  a  basis,  that  the  re- 
motest parts  of  the  empire  might  hear  and  fear,  and 
learn  obedience.  The  part  that  is  diseased,  whether 
in  the  body  natural  or  the  body  politic,  is  the  part 
to  which  the  remedy  is  directed.  Let  there  be  what 
number  of  worlds  there  may,  full  of  intelligent  crea- 
tures, yet,  if  there  be  but  one  world  which  is  guilty 
and  miserable,  thither  will  be  directed  the  operations 
of  mercy.     The  good  shepherd  of  the  sheep  will  leave 


VASTNESS  OF  CREATION.  101 

the  ninety  and  nine  in  the  wilderness,  and  seek  and 
save  that  which  is  lost. 

4.  The  events  brought  to  pass  in  this  world,  little  and 
insignificant  as  it  may  be,  are  competent  to  Jill  all  and 
every  part  of  God^s  dmninions  vnth  everlasting  and  in- 
creasing joy.  Mental  enjoyment  differs  widely  from 
corporeal :  the  bestowment  of  the  one  upon  a  great 
number  of  objects  is  necessarily  attended  with  a 
division  of  it  into  parts,  and  those  who  receive  a 
share  of  it  diminish  the  quantity  remaining  for  others 
that  come  after  them ;  but  not  so  the  other.  An  in- 
tellectual object  requires  only  to  be  known,  and  it  is 
equally  capable  of  affording  enjoyment  to  a  million 
as  to  an  individual,  to  a  world  as  to  those,  and  to  the 
whole  universe,  be  it  ever  so  extensive,  as  to  a  world. 
If,  as  the  Scriptures  inform  us,  "  God  was  manifest  in 
the  flesh,  justified  in  the  Spirit,  seen  of  angels,  preached 
unto  the  Gentiles,  believed  on  in  the  world,  and  re- 
ceived up  into  glory;"  if  there  be  enough. in  tl^s  mys- 
terious transaction  to  fill  with  joy  the  hearts  of  all 
who  believe  it ;  if  it  be  so  interesting  that  the  most 
exalted  intelligences  become  comparatively  indiffer- 
ent to  every  other  object,  "  desiring  to  look  into  it ;" 
then  is  it  sufficient  to  "  fill  all  things,"  and  to  exhibit 
the  divine  glory  "in  all  places  of  his  dominion." 
1  Tim.  3  :  16 ;  1  Pet.  1:12;  Eph.  4  :  10  ;  Psa.  103  :  22. 

The  Scriptures,  it  is  true,  do  not  teach  the  doctrine 
of  a  multitude  of  inhabited  worlds ;  but  neither  do 
they  teach  the  contrary.  Neither  the  one  nor  the 
other  forms  any  part  of  their  design.  The  object 
they  keep  in  view  is  infinitely  superior  to  this,  both 


\— 


102  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

as  to  utility  and  magnitude.  They  were  not  given  to 
teach  us  astronomy,  or  geography,  or  civil  govern- 
ment, or  any  science  which  relates  to  the  present 
life  only;  therefore  they  do  not  determine  upon  any 
system  of  any  of  these  sciences.  These  are  things 
upon  which  reason  is  competent  to  judge,  sufficiently 
at  least  for  all  the  purposes  of  human  life,  without  a 
revelation  from  heaven.  The  great  object  of  revela- 
tion is  to  instruct  us  in  things  which  pertain  to  our 
everlasting  peace;  and  as  to  other  things,  even  the 
rise  and  fall  of  the  mightiest  empires,  they  are  only 
touched  in  an  incidental  manner,  as  the  mention  of 
them  might  be  necessary  to  higher  purposes.  The 
great  empires  of  Babylon,  Persia,  Greece,  and  Kome 
are  predicted  and  described  in  the  Scriptures  by  the 
rising  and  ravaging  of  so  many  heasts  of  prey.  Speak- 
ing of  the  European  part  of  the  earth,  which  was  in- 
habited by  the  posterity  of  Japheth,  they  do  not  go 
about  to  give  an  exact  geographical  description  of  it ; 
but  by  a  synecdoche,^  call  it  the  "  isles  of  the  Gentiles," 
Gen.  10  :  5 ;  Isa.  49  : 1 ;  and  this,  as  I  suppose,  because 
its  eastern  boundary,  the  Archipelago,  or  Grecian 
Islands,  were  situated  contiguous  to  the  Holy  Land. 
And  thus,  when  speaking  of  the  whole  creation,  they 
call  it "  the  heavens  and  the  earth,"  as  being  the  whole 
that  comes  within  the  reach  of  our  senses. 

It  is  no  dishonor  to  the  Scriptures  that  they  keep 
to  their  professed  end.  Though  they  give  us  no  sys- 
tem of  astronomy,  yet  they  urge  us  to  study  the  works 
of  God,  and  teach  us  to  adore  him  upon  every  dis- 

*  A  figure  by  which  the  whole  of  a  thing  is  put  for  a  part, 
or  a  part  for  the  whole. 


i 


I 


VASTNESS  OF  CREATION.  103 

covery.  Though  they  give  us  no  system  of  geography, 
yet  they  encourage  us  to  avail  ourselves  of  observa- 
tion and  experience  to  obtain  one ;  seeing  the  whole 
earth  is  in  prophecy  given  to  the  Messiah,  and  is 
marked  out  as  the  field  in  which  his  servants  are  to 
labor.  Though  they  determine  not  upon  any  mode 
or  system  of  civil  government,  yet  they  teach  obedi- 
ence in  civil  matters  to  all.  And  though  their  atten- 
tion be  mainly  directed  to  things  which  pertain  to 
the  life  to  come,  yet,  by  attending  to  their  instructions, 
we  are  also  fitted  for  the  labors  and  sufferings  of  the 
present  life. 

The  Scriptures  are  written  in  a  popular  style,  as 
best  adapted  to  their  great  end.  If  the  salvation  of 
philosophers  only  had  been  their  object,  the  language 
might  possibly  have  been  somewhat  different ;  though 
even  this  may  be  a  matter  of  doubt,  since  the  style  is 
suited  to  the  subject,  and  to  the  great  end  which  they 
had  in  view:  but  being  addressed  to  men  of  every 
degree,  it  was  highly  proper  that  the  language  should 
be  fitted  to  every  capacity,  and  suited  to  their  com- 
mon modes  of  conception.  They  speak  of  the  founda- 
tions of  the  earth,  the  ends  of  the  earth,  the  greater 
and  lesser  lights  in  the  heavens,  the  sun  rising,  stand- 
ing still,  and  going  down,  and  many  other  things  in 
the  same  way.  If  infidels  object  to  these  modes  of 
speaking,  as  conveying  ideas  which  are  inconsistent 
with  the  true  theory  of  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  let 
them,  if  they  can,  substitute  others  which  are  consist- 
ent: let  them,  in  their  common  conversation,  when 
describing  the  revolutions  of  evening  and  morning, 
speak  of  the  earth  as  rising  and  going  down,  instead 


104  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

of  the  sun,  and  the  same  with  regard  to  the  revolu- 
tion of  the  planets,  and  see  if  men  in  common  will 
better  understand  them,  or  whether  they  would  be  able 
even  to  understand  one  another.  The  popular  ideas 
on  these  subjects  are  as  much  used  in  the  common 
conversation  of  philosophers,  as  they  are  in  the  Scrip- 
tures ;  and  the  constant  use  of  such  language,  even 
by  philosophers  themselves,  in  common  conversation, 
sufficiently  proves  the  futility  and  unfairness  of  their 
objecting  to  revelation  on  this  account. 

Some  infidel  writers  wish  to  convey  the  idea,  that 
so  contracted  were  the  views  of  the  scriptural  writers, 
that  even  the  glohularity  of  the  earth  was  unknown  to 
them.  If,  however,  such  a  sentence  as  that  of  Job, 
"  He  hangeth  the  earth  upon  nothing,"  chap.  26  :  7, 
had  been  found  in  any  of  the  old  heathen  writers,  it 
would  have  been  readily  concluded  that  this  idea  was 
familiar  to  the  ancients.  Or  if  a  heathen  poet  had 
uttered  such  language  as  that  of  Isaiah,  "  Behold,  the 
nations  are  as  a  drop  of  a  bucket,  and  are  counted 
as  the  small  dust  of  the  balance ;  behold,  he  taketh  up 
the  isles  as  a  very  little  thing :  all  nations  before  him 
are  as  nothing ;  and  they  are  counted  to  him  as  less 
than  nothing,  and  vanity,"  he  might  have  been  ap- 
plauded as  possessing  a  mind  as  large,  and  nearly  as 
well  informed,  as  the  geniuses  of  modern  times.  But 
the  truth  is,  the  scriptural  writers  were  not  intent  on 
displaying  the  greatness  of  their  own  conceptions,  nor 
even  of  creation  itself ;  but  rather  of  the  glory  of  Him 
"whofillethallinall." 

The  foregoing  observations  may  suffice  to  remove 
the  frequent  objection;  but  if  in  addition  to  them  it  • 


VASTNESS  OF  CREATION.  105 

can  be  proved,  that  upon  the  supposition  of  a  great 
number  of  inhabited  worlds,  Christianity,  instead  of 
appearing  little  and  ridiculous,  is  the  more  enlarged, 
and  that  some  of  its  difficulties  are  the  more  easily 
accounted  for,  this  will  be  still  more  satisfactory.  Let 
us  therefore  proceed, 

II.  To  offer  evidence  that  the  Christian  doctrine  of 
redemption  is  strengthened  by  the  supposed  magnitude  of 
creation. 

1.  The  Scripture  teaches  that  God^s  regard  to  man  is 
an  astonishing  instance  of  condescension,  and  that  on  ac- 
count of  the  disparity  between  him  and  the  celestial  creation. 
"  When  I  consider  thy  heavens,"  saith  David,  "  the 
work  of  thy  fingers,  the  moon  and  the  stars,  which 
thou  hast  ordained ;  what  is  man,  that  thou  art  mindful 
of  him  ?  and  the  son  of  man,  that  thou  visitest  him  ?" 
"  Will  God  in  very  deed,"  asks  Solomon,  "  dwell  with 
men  on  the  earth?"    Psa.  8  :  3,  4;  2  Chron.  6  :  18. 

The  divine  condescension  towards  man  is  a  truth 
upon  any  system;  but  upon  the  supposition  of  the 
heavenly  bodies  being  so  many  inhabited  worlds,  it  is 
a  truth  full  of  amazement,  and  the  foregoing  language 
of  David  and  Solomon  is  forcible  beyond  all  concep- 
tion. The  idea  of  Him  who  upholds  a  universe  of 
such  extent  "  by  the  word  of  his  power  "  becoming 
incarnate,  residing  with  men,  and  setting  up  his  king- 
dom among  them,  that  he  might  raise  them  to  eternal 
glory,  as  much  surpasses  all  that  philosophy  calls 
great  and  noble,  as  the  Creator  surpasses  the  work  of 
his  hands. 

2.  The  Scriptures  inform  us,  that  before  creation  was 
begun,  our  world  was  marked  out  by  eternal  Wisdom 


106  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

as  the  tJieatre  of  its  joyful  operations.  This  idea  is 
forcibly  expressed  in  the  eighth  chapter  of  Prov- 
erbs :  "  Before  the  mountains  were  settled,  before 
the  hills  was  1  brought  forth:  while  as  yet  he  had 
not  made  the  earth,  nor  the  fields,  nor  the  highest 
part  of  the  dust  of  the  world.  When  he  prepared 
the  heavens,  I  was  there  ;  when  he  set  a  compass  upon 
the  face  of  the  depth ;  when  he  established  the  clouds 
above;  when  he  strengthened  the  fountains  of  the 
deep;  when  he  gave  to  the  sea  his  decree,  that  the 
waters  should  not  pass  his  commandment ;  when  he 
appointed  the  foundations  of  the  earti!;  then  I  was 
by  him,  as  one  brought  up  with  him :  and  I  was  daily 
his  delight,  rejoicing  always  before  him:  rejoicing 
in  the  habitable  part  of  his  earth;  and  my  delights 
were  with  the  sons  of  men." 

On  this  interesting  passage  I  shall  offer  a  few 
remarks.  First,  among  the  variety  of  objects  which 
are  here  specified  as  the  works  of  God,  the  earth  is 
mentioned  as  being  in  a  sort  his  peculiar  property. 
Doubtless  the  whole  creation  is  the  Lord's,  but  none 
of  his  works  is  here  claimed  as  his  own  in  the  manner 
that  the  earth  is.  It  is  called  his  earth.  And  this 
seems  to  intimate  a  design  of  rendering  it  the  grand 
theatre  on  which  his  greatest  work  should  be  per- 
formed, a  work  that  should  fill  all  creation  with  joy 
and  wonder.  Secondly,  the  wisdom  of  God  is  de- 
scribed as  rejoicing  in  the  contemplation  of  this  part 
of  the  creation.  Whether  Wisdmn  in  this  passage  be 
understood  of  the  promised  Messiah,  or  of  a  divine 
attribute  personified,  it  makes  no  difference  as  to 
the   argument.     Allow  it  to  mean  the  latter,   and 


VASTNESS  OF  CREATION.  107 

that  the  rejoicing  of  Wisdom  is  a  figurative  mode 
of  speaking,  like  that  of  mercy  rejoicing  against 
judgment,  James  2  :  13,  still,  redemption  by  Jesus 
Christ  is  the  object  concerning  which  it  was  exer- 
cised: nothing  less  can  be  intimated  than  this,  that 
the  earth  was  the  place  marked  out  by  eternal  Wis- 
dom as  the  theatre  of  its  joyful  operations.  Thirdly, 
the  hahitabk  part  of  the  earth  was  more  especially  the 
object  of  Wisdom's  joyful  contemplation.  The  abodes 
of  men,  which  through  sin  had  become  scenes  of  abom- 
ination, were,  by  the  interposition  of  the  Mediator,  to 
become  the  abodes  of  righteousness.  Here  the  ser- 
pent's head  was  to  be  bruised,  his  schemes  confounded, 
and  his  works  destroyed ;  and  that  by  the  "  woman's 
seed,"  the  human  nature  which  he  had  despised  and 
degraded.  Here  a  trophy  was  to  be  raised  to  the 
glory  of  sovereign  grace,  and  millions  of  souls,  deliv- 
ered from  everlasting  destruction,  were  to  present  an 
offering  of  praise  to  Him  "that  loved  them,  and  washed 
them  from  their  sins  in  his  own  blood."  Here,  in  a 
word,  the  peculiar  glory  of  the  Godhead  was  to  be 
displayed  in  such  a  manner  as  to  afford  a  lesson  of 
joyful  amazement  to  the  whole  creation  "  throughout 
all  ages  "  of  time,  yea,  "world  without  end."  Ephes. 
3  :  21.  Lastly,  not  only  were  the  abodes  of  men  con- 
templated with  rejoicings  but  the  sons  of  men  them- 
selves regarded  with  delight.  The  operations  of  eter- 
nal Wisdom  were  directed  to  their  salvation ;  and 
their  salvation  was  appointed  to  become,  in  return,  a 
mirror  in  which  the  whole  creation  should  behold  the 
operations  of  eternal  Wisdom.  This  expressive  pas- 
gage  contains  a  fulness  of  meaning,  let  the  extent  of 


108  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

t 

the  intelligent  creation  be  what  it  may ;  but  if  it  be 
of  that  extent  which  modern  philosophy  supposes,  it 
contains  a  greater  fulness  still.  It  perfectly  accords 
with  all  those  ideas  suggested  of  this  earth  being  the 
chosen  theatre  upon  which  events  should  be  brought 
to  pass  that  shall  fill  creation  with  everlasting  joy; 
and  well  they  may,  if  the  prospect  of  them  rejoiced 
even  the  heart  of  God. 

3 .  The  mediation  of  Christ  is  represented  in  Scripture 
as  h^inging  the  whole  creation  into  union  with  the  church 
or  people  of  God.  In  the  dispensation  of  the  fulness  of 
times,  it  is  said  that  God  would  "gather  together  in 
one  all  things  in  Christ,  both  which  are  in  heaven, 
and  which  are  on  earth,  even  in  him."  Ephes.  1 :  10. 
Again,  "  It  pleased  the  Father  that  in  him  should  all 
fulness  dwell;  and  having  made  peace  through  the 
blood  of  his  cross,  by  him  to  reconcile  all  things  unto 
himself;  by  him,  I  say,  whether  things  in  earth,  or 
things  in  heaven."     Col.  1  :  19,  20. 

The  language  here  used  supposes  that  the  intro- 
duction of  sin  has  effected  a  disunion  between  men 
and  the  other  parts  of  God's  creation.  It  is  natural 
to  suppose  it  should  be  so.  If  a  province  of  a  great 
empire  rise  up  in  rebellion  against  the  lawful  govern- 
#ment,  all  communication  between  the  inhabitants  of 
such  a  province  and  the  faithful  adherents  to  order 
and  obedience  must  be  at  an  end.  A  line  of  separa- 
tion would  be  immediately  drawn  by  the  sovereign, 
and  all  intercourse  between  the  one  and  the  other 
prohibited.  Nor  would  it  less  accord  with  the  incli- 
nation, than  with  the  duty  of  all  the  friends  of  right- 
eousness, to  withdraw  their  connection  from  those  who 


VASTNESS  OF  CREATION.  109 

were  in  rebellion  against  the  supreme  authority  and 
the  general  good.  It  must  have  been  thus  with  regard 
to  the  holy  angels,  on  man's  apostasy.  Those  who  at 
the  creation  of  our  world  had  "  sung  together,"  and 
even  "  shouted  for  joy,"  would  now  retire  in  disgust 
and  holy  indignation. 

But,  through  the  mediation  of  Christ,  a  reunion  is 
effected.  By  the  blood  of  the  cross  we  have  peace 
with  God;  and  being  reconciled  to  him,  are  united 
to  all  who  love  him  throughout  the  whole  extent  of 
creation.  If  Paul  could  address  the  Corinthians,  con- 
cerning one  of  their  excluded  members  who  had  been 
brought  to  repentance,  "  To  whom  ye  forgive  any 
thing,  I  also ;"  much  more  would  the  friends  of  right- 
eousness say,  in  their  addresses  to  the  great  Supreme 
concerning  an  excluded  member  from  the  moral  sys- 
tem, "  To  whom  thou  forgivest  any  thing,  we  also." 
Hence  angels  acknowledge  Christians  as  brethren^  and 
become  ministering  spirits  to  them  while  inhabitants 
of  the  present  world.     Rev.  19  :  10 ;  Heb.  1 :  14. 

There  is  another  consideration  which  must  tend  to 
cement  the  holy  part  of  God's  creation  to  the  church ; 
which  is,  their  being  all  united  under  one  Head.  A 
central  point  of  union  has  a  great  effect  in  cementing 
mankind.  We  see  this  every  day  in  people  who  sit 
under  the  same  ministry,  or  serve  under  the  same  com- 
mander, or  are  subjects  of  the  same  prince ;  whether 
minister,  general,  or  prince,  if  they  love  him,  they  will 
be  more  or  less  united  together  under  him. 

Now  it  is  a  part  of  the  reward  of  our  Eedeemer, 
for  his  great  humiliation,  that  he  should  be  exalted 
as  head  over  the  whole  creation  of  God.     "Being 


f^\ 


no  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

found  in  fashion  as  a  man,  he  humbled  himself,  and 
became  obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the 
cross.  Wherefore  God  also  hath  highly  exalted  him, 
and  given  him  a  name  which  is  above  every  name ; 
that  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should  bow,"  of 
heavenly  beings,  of  earthly,  and  of  those  under  the 
earth.  He  is  the  Head  of  all  principality  and  power. 
God  raised  him  from  the  dead,  and  "  set  him  at  his  own 
right  hand  in  the  heavenly  places,  far  above  all  prin- 
cipality, and  power,  and  might,  and  dominion,  and 
every  name  that  is  named,  not  only  in  this  world,  but 
also  in  that  which  is  to  come :  and  hath  put  all  things 
under  his  feet,  and  gave  him  to  be  the  head  over  all 
things  to  the  church,  which  is  his  body,  the  fulness  of 
him  that  filleth  all  in  all."  Phil.  2  :  8-10  ;  Col.  2:10; 
Eph.  1  :  20-22. 

These  passages,  it  is  true,  represent  the  dominion 
of  Christ  as  extending  over  the  whole  creation,  ene- 
mies as  well  as  friends,  and  things  as  well  as  persons. 
But  if  the  very  enemies  of  God  are  caused  to  subserve 
the  purposes  of  redemption,  much  more  his  friends : 
what  the  others  do  by  constraint,  these  do  willingly ; 
and  the  consideration  of  their  having  one  Head  must 
make  them  feel,  as  it  were,  nearer  akin.  And  as 
Christ  is  "  Head  over  all  things  to  the  church,  which 
is  his  body,"  it  is  hereby  intimated  that  the  happiness 
of  the  church  is  by  these  means  abundantly  enlarged. 

To  what  extent  creation  reaches,  I  do  not  pretend 
to  know ;  be  that  however  what  it  may,  the  foregoing 
passages  teach  us  to  consider  the  influence  of  redemp- 
tion as  commensurate  with  it ;  and  in  proportion  to 
the  magnitude  of  the  one,  such  must  be  the  influence 


VASTNESS  OF  CREATION.  Ill 

of  the  other,  as  the  accomplishment  of  reunion  and 
the  restoration  of  happiness. 

4.  Through  tlie  mediation  of  Christ,  riot  only  is  the 
whole  creation  represented  as  augmenting  the  blessedness  of 
the  church,  hut  the  church  as  augmenting  the  blessedness 
of  the  whole  creation.  As  one  member,  be  it  ever  so 
small,  cannot  suffer  without  the  whole  body  in  some 
degree  suffering  with  it ;  so,  if  we  consider  our  world 
as  a  member  of  the  great  body  or  system  of  being,  it 
might  naturally  be  supposed  that  the  ill  or  well  being 
of  the  former,  would  in  some  measure  affect  the  hap- 
piness of  the  latter.  The  fall  of  a  planet  from  its 
orbit  in  the  solar  system,  would  probably  have  a  less 
effect  upon  the  other  planets,  than  that  of  man  from 
the  moral  system  upon  the  other  parts  of  God's  in- 
telligent creation.  And  when  it  is  considered  that 
man  is  a  member  of  the  body,  distinguislied  by  sover- 
eign favor,  as  possessing  a  nature  which  the  Son  of 
God  delighted  to  honor  by  taking  it  upon  himself, 
the  interest  which  the  universe  at  large  may  have  in 
his  fall  and  recovery  may  be  greatly  augmented. 
The  leprosy  of  Miriam  was  an  event  that  affected  the 
whole  camp  of  Israel ;  nor  did  they  proceed  on  their 
journeys  till  she  was  restored  to  her  situation ;  and 
it  is  not  unnatural  to  suppose  that  something  analo- 
gous to  this  would  be  the  effect  of  the  fall  and  recov- 
ery of  man  on  the  whole  creation. 

The  happiness  of  the  redeemed  is  not  the  ultimate 
end  of  redemption,  nor  the  only  happiness  which  will 
be  produced  by  it.  God  is  represented  in  the  Scrip- 
tures as  conferring  his  favors  in  such  a  way  as  that 
no  creature  shall  be  blessed  merely  fm-  his  own  sake, 


112  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

but  that  he  might  communicate  his  blessedness  to 
others.  With  whatever  powers,  talents,  or  advan- 
tages we  are  endued,  it  is  not  merely  for  our  gratifica- 
tion, but  that  we  may  contribute  to  the  general  good. 
God  gives  discernment  to  the  eye,  speech  to  the  tongue, 
strength  to  the  arm,  and  agility  to  the  feet,  not  for 
the  gratification  of  these  members,  but  for  the  accom- 
modation of  the  body.  It  is  the  same  in  other  things. 
God  blessed  Abraham :  and  wherefore  ?  That  he  might 
he  a  blessing.  He  blessed  his  posterity  after  him ;  and 
for  what  purpose?  That  "in  them  all  the  nations  of 
the  earth  might  be  blessed."  Gen.  12:2;  22  :  18. 
Though  Israel  was  a  nation  chosen  and  beloved  of  God, 
yet  it  was  not  for  their  righteousness,  nor  merely 
with  a  view  to  their  own  happiness,  that  they  were 
thus  distinguished ;  but  that  he  "  might  perform  the 
oath  which  he  sware  unto  their  fathers,"  Deut.  9:5; 
7:7,  8 ;  the  substance  of  which  was,  that  the  true 
religion  should  prosper  among  them,  and  be  commu- 
nicated by  them  to  all  other  nations.  The  ungodly 
part  of  the  Jewish  nation  viewed  things,  it  is  true,  in 
a  different  light ;  they  valued  themselves  as  the  favor- 
ites of  heaven,  and  looked  down  upon  other  nations 
with  contemptuous  dislike.  But  it  was  otherwise 
with  the  godly;  they  entered  into  the  spirit  of  the 
promise  made  to  their  fathers.  Hence  they  prayed 
that  God  would  "  be  merciful  to  them,  and  bless  them, 
and  cause  his  face  to  shine  upon  them;"  to  the  end 
that  his  "  way  might  be  known  upon  earth,  and  his 
saving  health  among  all  nations."     Psa.  67. 

The  same  spirit  was  manifested  by  the  apostles 
and  primitive  Christians.     They  perceived  that  all 


VASTNESS  OF  CRE'ATION.  113 

that  rich  measure  of  gifts  and  graces  by  which  they 
were  distinguished,  was  given  them  with  the  design 
of  their  communicating  it  to  others;  and  this  was 
their  constant  aim.  Paul  felt  himself  a  debtor  both  to 
Jews  and  Greeks,  and  spent  his  life  in  diJQfusing  the 
blessings  of  the  gospel,  though  in  return  he  was  con- 
tinually treated  as  an  evil-doer ;  and  the  same  might 
be  said  of  the  other  apostles. 

Nor  is  this  social  principle  confined  to  the  present 
life.  According  to  scripture  representations,  the  hap- 
piness of  saints  in  heaven  will  be  conferred  on  them, 
not  that  it  might  stop  there,  but  be  communicated  to 
the  whole  moral  system.  The  redemption  •  of  the 
church  has  already  added  to  the  blessedness  of  other 
holy  intelligences.  It  has  furnished  a  new  medium 
by  which  the  glory  of  the  divine  perfections  is  beheld 
and  admired.  To  explore  the  wisdom  of  God  in  his 
works  is  the  constant  employment  of  holy  angels,  and 
that  in  which  consists  a  large  proportion  of  their 
felicity.  Prior  to  the  accomplishment  of  the  work  of 
redemption,  they  contemplated  the  divine  character 
through  the  medium  of  creation  and  providence ;  but 
"Tio^^unto  principalities  and  powers  in  heavenly  places, 
is  known  by  tJie  church  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God." 
Eph.  3  :  10.  And  so  much  does  this  last  display  of 
divine  glory  exceed  all  that  have  gone  before  it,  that 
those  who  have  once  obtained  a  view  of  it  through 
this  medium,  will  certainly  prefer  it  to  every  other ; 
"  which  things  the  angels  desire  to  look  into."  1  Pet. 
1  :  12.  They  do  not,  however,. become  indifferent  to 
any  of  the  divine  operations ;  creation  and  providence 
continue  to  attract  their  attention,  and  are  abundantly 


114  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

more  interesting ;  they  now  study  them  according  to 
the  order  in  which  thev  exist  in  the  divine  mind,  that 
is,  in  subserviency  to  redemption,  Col.  1  :  16,  %  him, 
and  /or  him. 

But  that  which  is  already  accomplished  is  but 
small  in  comparison  with  what  is  in  reserve.  At  the 
final  judgment,  when  all  the  faithful  will  be  collected 
together,  they  will  become  a  medium  through  which 
the  Lord  Jesus  will  be  glorified  and  admired  by  the 
whole  creation :  "  He  shall  come  to  be  glorified  in  his 
saints,  and  to  be  admired  in  all  them  that  believe,  in 
that  day."  2  Thes.  1  :  10.  It  is  a  truth  that  the  saints 
of  God  will  themselves  glorify  and  admire  their  great 
Deliverer ;  but  not  the  truth  of  this  passage — the  de- 
sign of  which  is  to  represent  them  as  a  medium  through 
which  he  shall  be  glorified  by  all  the  friends  of  God  in 
the  universe.  The  great  Physician  will  appear  with 
his  recovered  millions,  every  one  of  whom  will  afford 
evidence  of  his  disinterested  love  and  efficacious 
blood  to  the  whole  admiring  creation. 

Much  the  same  ideas  are  conveyed  to  us  by  those 
representations  in  which  the  whole  creation  are  either 
called  upon  to  rejoice  on  account  of  our  redemption, 
or  described  as  actually  rejoicing  and  praising  the 
Redeemer.  Thus  David,  having  spoken  of  God's 
mercy  which  was  from  everlasting  to  everlasting  tow- 
ards the  children  of  men,  addresses  all  his  works,  in 
all  places  of  his  dominion,  "  to  bless  his  name."  Psa. 
103  :  17-22.  John  also  informs  us,  saying,  "I  heard 
the  voice  of  many  angels  round  about  the  throne,  and 
the  "  living  creatures, "  and  the  elders :  and  the  number 
of  them  was  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand,  and 


EASINESS  OF  CREATION.  115 

thousands  of  thousands;  saying  with  a  loud  voice, 
Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain  to  receive  power, 
and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength,  and  honor,  and 
glory,  and  blessing.  And  every  creature  which  is  in 
heaven,  and  on  the  earth,  and  under  the  earth,  and 
such  as  are  in  the  sea,  and  all  that  are  in  them,  heard 
I  saying.  Blessing,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  power, 
be  unto  him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto 
the  Lamb,  for  ever  and  ever."    Rev.  5  :  11-13. 

The  phraseology  of  these  passages  is  such  that  no 
one  can  reasonably  doubt  whether  the  writers  intend- 
ed to  express  the  whole  upright  intelligent  creation, 
be  it  of  what  extent  it  may ;  and  if  it  be  of  that 
extent  which  philosophy  supposes,  the  greater  must 
be  the  influence  and  importance  of  the  work  of  re- 
demption. 

5.  The  Scriptures  represent  the  punishment  of  tlm 
finally  impenitent  as  appointed  for  an  example  to  the  rest 
of  creation.  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  and  the  cities 
about  them,  in  giving  themselves  over  to  fornication, 
and  going  after  strange  flesh,  are  set  forth  for  an  ex- 
ample, suffering  the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire.  "  And 
her  smoke,"  the  smoke  of  Babylon,  "  rose  up  for  ever 
and  ever.  And  the  four  and  twenty  elders  and  the 
four  "  living  creatures  "  fell  down  and  worshipped  God 
that  sat  on  the  throne,  saying.  Amen;  Alleluia." 
Jude  7  ;  Rev.  19  :  3,  4. 

The  miseries  of  the  damned  are  never  represented 
as  inflicted  upon  them  from  such  a  kind  of  wrath  or 
vengeance  as  bears  no  relation  to  the  general  good. 
'  God  is  love  ;"  and  in  none  of  his  proceedings  does 
he  violate  this  principle,  or  lose  sight  of  the  well- 


116  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

being  of  creation  in  general.  The  manifestation  of 
his  glory  is  not  only  inseparably  connected  with  this 
object,  but  consists  in  accomplishing  it. 

It  is  necessary  for  the  general  good  that  God^s 
abhorrence  of  moral  evil  should  be  marked  by  some 
strong  and  durable  expression  of  it,  so  that  no  one 
subject  of  his'  empire  can  overlook  it.  Such  an  ex- 
pression was  the  death  of  Christ,  his  only  begotten 
Son ;  and  this  availeth  on  behalf  of  all  who  acquiesce 
in  his  salvation :  but  all  who  do  not,  or  who  possess 
not  such  a  temper  of  heart  as  would  acquiesce  in  it  if 
it  were  presented  to  them,  must  themselves  be  made 
sacrifices  to  his  justice;  and  so,  like  enemies  and 
traitors  to  a  human  government,  must  be  made  to  an- 
swer such  an  end  by  their  death  as  shall  counteract 
the  ill  example  afforded  by  their  life.  What  is  said 
of  the  barren  vine  is  applicable  to  the  finally  impen- 
itent, "It  is  not  fit  for  any  work — it  is  good  for 
nothing  but  to  be  burned."  Ezek.  15  : 2-5.  The 
only  way  in  which  they  promote  the  general  good  is 
by  their  overthrow ;  like  the  censers  of  Korah  and 
his  company,  which  were  made  into  "broad  plates 
for  a  covering  to  the  altar,  that  they  might  be  a  sign 
to  the  children  of  Israel  in  future  generations,"  Num. 
16  :  38 ;  or  like  Lot's  wife,  who  was  converted  into  a 
"  pillar  of  salt,"  as  a  lasting  monument  of  divine  dis- 
pleasure. 

If  the  grand  end  of  future  punishment  be  example, 
this  must  suppose  the  existence  of  an  intelligent  crea- 
tion, who  shall  profit  by  it ;  and  it  should  seem  of  a 
creation  of  magnitude,  as  it  accords  with  the  conduct 


CHARACTER  OF  GOD.  117 

of  neither  God  nor  man  to  punish  a  great  number  for 
an  example  to  a  few. 

This  truth  affords  a  satisfactory  idea  of  the  divine 
government,  whether  there  be  a  multiplicity  of  in- 
habited worlds  or  not;  but  if  there  be,  it  is  still 
more  satisfactory,  as  on  this  supposition  the  number 
of  those  who  shall  be  finally  lost  may  bear  far  less 
proportion  to  the  whole  of  the  intelligent  creation, 
than  a  single  execution  to  the  inhabitants  of  a  great 
empire.  It  is  true,  the  loss  to  those  who  are  lost  will 
be  nothing  abated  by  this  consideration ;  perhaps,  on 
the  contrary,  it  may  be  augmented,  and  to  them  the 
divine  government  will  ever  appear  gloomy ;  but  to 
those  who  judge  of  things  impartially,  and  upon  an 
extensive  scale,  it  will  appear  to  contain  no  more  of 
a  disparagement  to  the  government  of  the  universe, 
than  the  execution  of  a  murderer  once  in  a  hundred 
years  would  be  to  the  government  of  a  nation. 

Section  III.  Harmony  of  the  doctrine  with 
THE  character  OF  GoD.  It  has  been  objected  that 
this  view  of  the  atonement  presents  God  as  a  vindic- 
tive being,  and  that  as  such  he  cannot  be  loved.  The 
issue  in  this  case  entirely  depends  upon  the  question 
whether  vindictive  justice  be  in  itself  amiable. 

I  believe  it  is  very  common  for  people,  when  they 
speak  of  vindictive  punishment,  to  mean  that  kind  of 
punishment  which  is  inflicted  from  a  wrathful  dispo- 
sition, or  a  disposition  to  punish  for  the  pleasure  of 
punishing.  Now  if  this  be  the  meaning  of  our  oppo- 
nents, we  have  no  dispute  with  them.  We  do  not 
suppose  the  Almighty  to  punish  sinners  for  the  sake 


118  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

of  putting  them  to  pain.  Scripture  never  conveys 
any  such  idea.  Vindictive  punishment,  as  it  is  here 
defended,  stands  opposed  to  that  punishment  which  is 
merely  corrective:  the  one  is  exercised  for  the  good  of 
the  party ;  the  other  not  so,  but  for  the  good  of  the 
community.  Those  who  deny  this  last  to  be  amiable 
in  God,  must  found  their  denial  either  on  scripture 
testimony,  or  on  the  nature  and  fitness  of  things.  As 
to  the  former,  the  Scriptures  will  hardly  be  supposed 
to  represent  God  as  an  unamiable  being;  if,  there- 
fore, they  teach  that  vindictive  justice  is  an  unamia- 
ble attribute,  it  must  be  maintained  that  they  never 
ascribe  that  attribute  to  God.  But  with  what  color 
of  evidence  can  this  be  alleged?  Surely  not  from 
such  language  as  the  following :  "  The  Lord  thy  God 
is  a  consuming  fire,  even  a  jealous  God."  "  Our  God 
is  a  consuming  fire."  "  God  is  jealous,  and  the  Lord 
revengeth;  the  Lord  revengeth,  and  is  furious;  the 
Lord  will  take  vengeance  on  his  adversaries,  and  he 
reserveth  wrath  for  his  enemies."  "Who  can  stand 
before  his  indignation?  and  who  can  abide  in  the 
fierceness  of  his  anger?  His  fury  is  poured  out  like 
fire."  "  0  Lord  God,  to  whom  vengeance  belongeth; 
0  God,  to  whom  vengeance  belongeth,  show  thyself.'' 
"  He  that  showeth  no  mercy  shall  have  judgment  with- 
out mercy."  "He  that  made  them  will  not  have 
mercy  on  them,  and  he  that  formed  them  will  show 
them  no  favor."  "  For  we  know  him  that  hath  said, 
Vengeance  belongeth  unto  me,  I  will  recompense, 
saith  the  Lord."  "  It  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into 
the  hands  of  the  living  God."  "  I  lift  up  my  hand  to 
heaven,  and  say,  I  live  for  ever.     If  I  whet  my  glit- 


CHARACTER  OF  GOD.  119 

tering  sword,  and  my  hand  take  hold  on  judgment,  I 
will  render  vengeance  to  mine  enemies,  and  will  re- 
ward them  th^t  hate  me."  "  The  angels  which  kept 
not  their  first  estate,  he  hath  reserved  in  everlasting 
chains  under  darkness  unto  the  judgment  of  the  great 
day."  "  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  and  the  cities  about 
them,  are  set  forth  for  an  example,  suffering  the  ven- 
geance of  eternal  fire."  "  The  Lord  Jesus  shall  be 
revealed  from  heaven  with  his  mighty  angels,  in  flam- 
ing fire  taking  vengeance  on  them  that  know  not 
God,  and  that  obey  not  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ."  Deut.  4;  Heb.  12;  Nah.  1;  Psa.  94;  Jas. 
2;  Isa,  27;  Heb.  10;  Deut.  32;  Jude ;  2  Thess.  1. 

As  to  the  rmture  and  fitness  of  things,  we  cannot 
draw  any  conclusion  thence  against  the  loveliness  of 
vindictive  justice  as  a  divine  attribute,  unless  the 
thing  itself  can  be  proved  to  be  unlovely.  But  this 
is  contrary  to  the  common-sense  and  practice  of  man- 
kind. There  is  no  nation  or  people  under  heaven  but 
what  consider  it,  in  various  cases,  as  both  necessary 
and  lovely.  It  is  true,  they  would  despise  and  abhor 
a  magistrate  who  should  punish  beyond  desert,  or  who 
should  avail  himself  of  the  laws  of  his  country  to  grat- 
ify his  own  caprice,  or  his  private  revenge.  This, 
however,  is  not  vindictive  justice,  but  manifest  injus- 
tice. No  considerate  citizen  who  values  the  public 
weal,  could  blame  a  magistrate  for  putting  the  penal 
laws  of  his  country  so  far  in  execution  as  should  be 
necessary  for  the  true  honor  of  good  government,  the 
support  of  good  order,  and  the  terror  of  wicked  men. 
When  the  inhabitants  of  Gibeah  requested  that  the 
Levite  might  be  brought  out  to  them,  that  they  might 


120  ATONEMENT  OF  CHUIST. 

abuse  him,  and  on  their  request  not  being  granted, 
abused  and  murdered  his  companion,  all  Israel  as  one 
man  not  only  condemned  the  action,  but  called  upon 
the  Benjamites  to  deliver  up  the  criminals  to  justice. 
Had  the  Benjamites  complied  with  their  request,  and 
had  those  sons  of  Belial  been  put  to  death,  not  for 
their  own  good,  but  for  the  good  of  the  community, 
where  had  been  the  unloveliness  of  the  procedure? 
On  the  contrary,  such  a  conduct  must  have  recom- 
mended itself  to  the  heart  of  every  friend  of  right- 
eousness in  the  universe,  as  well  as  have  prevented 
the  shocking  effusion  of  blood  which  followed  their 
refusal.  Now  if  vindictive  justice  may  be  glorious  in 
a  human  government,  there  is  no  reason  to  be  drawn 
from  the  nature  and  fitness  of  things  why  it  would  not 
be  the  same  in  the  divine  administration. 

But  the  idea  on  which  our  opponents  love  princi- 
pally to  dwell  is  that  of  2,  father.  Hence  the  charge 
that  we  represent  God  in  such  a  light  that  no  earthly 
parent  could  imitate  him  without  sustaining  a  charac- 
ter shocking  to  mankind.  In  this  matter,  however, 
God  is  imitable.  We  have  seen  already  that  a  good 
magistrate,  who  may  justly  be  called  the  father  of  his 
people,  ought  not  to  be  under  the  influence  of  blind 
affection,  so  as  in  any  case  to  show  mercy  at  the 
expense  of  the  public  good.  Nor  is  this  all.  There 
are  cases  in  which  a  parent  has  been  obliged,  in  benev- 
olence to  his  family,  and  from  a  concern  for  the  gen- 
eral good,  to  give  up  a  stubborn  and  rebellious  son, 
to  bring  him  forth  with  his  own  hands  to  the  elders 
of  his  city,  and  there  with  his  own  lips  bear  witness 
against  him  ;  such  witness,  too,  as  would  subject  him 


CHARACTER  OF  aOD.  121 

not  to  mere  salutary  correction,  but  to  be  stoned  to 
death  by  the  men  of  his  city.  We  know  such  a  law 
was  made  in  Israel,  Deut.  21 :  18-21,  and  such  a  law 
was  wise  and  good ;  it  was  calculated  to  enforce  in 
parents  an  early  and  careful  education  of  their  chil- 
dren ;  and  if  in  any  instance  it  was  executed,  it  was 
that  all  Israel  might  hear  and  fear.  And  how  do  we 
know  but  that  it  may  be  consistent  with  the  good  ot 
the  whole  system,  yea,  necessary  to  it,  that  some  of 
the  rebellious  sons  of  men  should,  in  company  with 
apostate  angels,  be  made  examples  of  divine  ven- 
geance; that  they  should  stand,  like  Lot's  wife,  as 
pillars  of  salt,  or  as  everlasting  monuments  of  God's 
displeasure  against  sin ;  and  that  while  their  smoke 
riseth  up  for  ever  and  ever,  all  the  intelligent  universe 
should  hear  and  fear,  and  do  no  more  so  wickedly  ? 
Indeed,  we  must  not  only  know  that  this  may  be  the 
case,  but  if  we  pay  any  regard  to  the  authority  of 
Scripture,  that  it  is  so.  If  words  have  any  meaning, 
this  is  the  idea  given  us  of  the  "  angels  which  kept 
not  their  first  estate,'^  and  of  the  inhabitants  of  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah,  who  are  said  to  be  "  set  forth  for  an 
example,  suffering  the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire." 

We  thus  see  that  the  doctrine  of  the  atormment  is,  in 
itself,  the  life  of  the  gospel  system.  Yiew  it  as  a  glorious 
expedient  devised  by  infinite  Wisdom  for  the  reparation 
of  the  injury  done  by  sin  to  the  divine  government,  and 
for  the  consistent  exercise  of  free  mercy  to  the  unwor- 
thy, and  you  are  furnished  with  considerations  the  most 
humiliating,  and  at  the  same  time  the  most  transport- 
ing, that  were  ever  presented  to  a  creature's  mind, 


122  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

The  principles  of  this  divine  interposition  are  set 
forth  in  the  Scriptures  in  various  forms  ;  but  probably 
in  none  so  fully  as  in  the  substitutional  sacrijices,  which, 
from  the  fall  to  the  coming  of  Christ,  formed  a  con- 
spicuous part  of  instituted  worship.  The  great  truth 
inculcated  by  these  sacrifices  from  age  to  age  would 
be,  "Without  shedding  of  blood  there  is  no  remission." 
Some  of  the  leading  sentiments  which  they  were  cal- 
culated to  inspire,  may  be  seen  in  the  sacrifice  of  Job 
on  behalf  of  his  three  friends.  "  The  Lord  said  to 
Eliphaz  the  Temanite,  My  wrath  is  kindled  against 
thee,  and  against  thy  two  friends  ;  for  ye  have  not 
spoken  of  me  the  thing  that  is  right,  as  my  servant 
Job  hath.  Therefore  take  unto  you  now  seven  bullocks 
and  seven  rams,  and  go  to  my  servant  Job,  and  offer 
up  for  yourselves  a  burnt-offering;  and  my  servant 
Job  shall  pray  for  you,  for  him  will  I  accept ;  lest  I 
deal  with  you  after  your  folly,  in  that  ye  have  not 
spoken  of  me  the  thing  that  is  right,  like  my  servant 
Job."  This  reproof  and  direction  would,  if  rightly 
taken,  excite  the  deepest  repentance  and  self-abase- 
ment. To  be  told  that  they  had  sinned,  that  the 
wrath  of  heaven  was  kindled  against  them,  that  an 
offering,  and  even  a  petition  for  mercy,  would  not  be 
accepted  at  their  hands,  that  it  must  be  presented  by 
a  mediator,  and  that  this  mediator  should  be  the  very 
person  whom  they  had  despised  and  condemned  as 
smitten  of  God  and  afflicted,  was  altogether  so  humil- 
iating, that  had  they  been  unbelievers,  and  left  to 
their  own  spirit,  they  would  have  rejected  it  with 
a  sullen  scorn,  equal  to  that  with  which  many  in  our 
day  reject  the  mediation  of  Jesus  Christ.    But  they 


CHARACTER  OF  GOD.  123 

were  good  men,  and  followed  the  divine  direction, 
humiliating  as  it  was,  with  implicit  obedience.  "  They 
did  as  the  Lord  commanded  them:  the  Lord  also 
accepted  Job."  To  them,  therefore,  this  direction 
must  have  imparted  a  new  set  of  views  and  feelings; 
as  full  of  humility,  thankfulness,  conciliation,  and 
brotherly  love,  as  their  speeches  had  been  of  pride, 
folly,  and  bitterness. 

Such  is  the  nature  and  tendency  of  the  Christian 
doctrine  of  atonement.  But  humbling  as  this  doc- 
trine is  in  itself,  it  may  be  so  perverted  as  to  become 
quite  another  thing,  and  productive  of  an  opposite 
effect.  If  God  as  a  lawgiver  be  held  up  as  an  Egyp- 
tian taskmaster,  and  the  mercy  of  the  Saviour  be 
magnified  at  his  expense — if  his  atonement  be  consid- 
ered rather  as  a  victory  over  the  law,  than  as  an  honor 
done  to  it — if  his  enduring  the  curse  be  supposed  to 
exonerate  us  from  obeying  the  precepts — if  in  conse- 
quence of  his  having  laid  down  his  life,  we  think 
more  lightly  of  sin,  and  imagine  it  to  be  a  less  dan- 
gerous evil — ^finally,  if,  from  the  full  satisfaction  which 
he  has  made  to  divine  justice,  we  reckon  ourselves  to 
be  freed  not  only  from  punishment,  but  from  the  desert 
of  it,  and  warranted  not  merely  to  implore  mercy  in 
his  name,  but  to  claim  it  as  a  right,  we  are  in  posses- 
sion of  a  scheme  abhorrent  to  the  gospel,  and  not  a 
little  productive  of  spiritual  pride.  Such  views  of 
the  atonement  excite  an  irreverent  familiarity  with 
God,  and  in  some  cases  a  daring  boldness  in  ap- 
proaching him ;  yet  such  is  the  strength  of  the  Anti- 
nomian  delusion,  that  it  passes  for  intimate  communion 
with  him. 


124  ATONEMENT  OF  CHllIST. 

An  atonement  has  respect  to  justice,  and  justice  to 
the  law  or  rule  which  men  have  violated.  If  this  be 
worthy  of  being  traduced  by  a  servant  of  Christ,  it 
was  worthy  of  the  same  treatment  from  his  Lord  and 
Master ;  and  then,  instead  of  being  honored  by  his 
life  and  death,  it  ought  to  have  been  annulled,  both  in 
respect  of  him  and  of  us.  The  doctrine  of  the  cross, 
according  to  this  view  of  things,  was  so  far  from  being 
a  display  of  the  divine  glory,  that  it  must  have  been 
a  most  shocking  exhibition  of  injustice. 

Every  instance  of  punishment  among  men  is  a  sort 
of  atonement  to  the  justice  of  the  country,  the  design  of 
which  is  to  restore  the  authority  of  government,  which 
transgression  has  impaired.  But  if  the  law  itself  be 
bad,  or  the  penalty  too  severe,  every  sacrifice  that  is 
made  to  it  must  be  an  instance  of  cruelty ;  and  should 
the  king's  own  son  interpose  as  a  substitute,  to  save 
the  lives  of  a  number  of  offenders,  whatever  might  be 
the  love  expressed  on  his  part,  it  would  be  shocking 
in  the  government  to  permit  it,  even  though  he  might 
survive  his  sufferings.  Could  the  public  opinion  be 
expressed  on  such  an  occasion,  it  would  be  to  this 
effect :  There  was  no  necessity  for  any  atonement ;  it 
does  no  honor,  but  dishonor  to  the  king,  and  though 
he  has  liberated  the  unhappy  men,  there  was  no  grace 
in  the  act,  but  mere  justice ;  the  law,  instead  of  being 
maintained  by  a  suffering  substitute,  ought  to  have 
been  repealed.  It  is  easy  to  see,  from  hence,  that  in 
proportion  as  the  law  is  depreciated,  the  gospel  is 
undermined,  and  the  necessity,  glory,  and  grace  of ^ 
the  atonement  rendered  void. 

It  is  probable  there  are  not  many  who  would  ii 


CHARACTER  OF  GOD.  125 

SO  many  words  deny  the  law  to  be  holy,  just,  and 
good :  on  the  contrary,  there  is  little  doubt  but  most 
would  in  argument  acknowledge  as  much  as  this ;  but 
if  on  all  other  occasions  they  speak  of  it  with  disre- 
spect, comparing  it  to  the  taskmasters  of  Pharaoh, 
and  disown  the  authority  of  its  precepts  to  be  binding 
on  them,  such  acknowledgments  can  be  considered  as 
nothing  more  than  compliments  to  the  express  words 
of  Scripture.  If  they  really  believed  the  law  to  be 
holy,  just,  and  good,  and  holiness,  justice,  and  good- 
ness were  their  delight,  however  they  might  renounce 
all  dependence  upon  the  works  of  it  for  acceptance 
with  God,  they  could  not  object  to  being  under  it  as  a 
rule  of  duty.  It  is  the  law  as  abused,  or  as  turned  into 
a  way  of  life  in  opposition  to  the  gospel,  for  which  it 
was  never  given  to  a  fallen  creature,  that  the  apostle 
depreciates ;  and  not  as  the  revealed  will  of  God,  or 
as  the  immutable  standard  of  right  and  wrong.  In 
this  view  he  delighted  in  it;  and  if  we  are  Christians, 
we  also  shall  delight  in  it;  and  if  so,  we  shall  not 
object  to  being  under  it  as  a  rule  of  duty,  for  no  man 
objects  to  be  ruled  by  the  precepts  which  he  loves. 
Still  less  shall  we  allow  ourselves  to  disparage  it, 
and  to  represent  the  redemption  of  Christ  as  deliver- 
ing us  from  its  tyrannical  yoke.  So  far  as  any  man 
is  a  Christian  he  is  of  Christ's  mind,  and  that  was  to 
account  it  his  meat  and  drink  to  do  the  will  of  his 
Father. 

If  the  law  be  really  an  oppressive  and  tyrannical 
yoke,  it  was  requisite  that  our  deliverance  from  it 
should  have  been  by  power,  and  not  by  price.  This 
is  the  way  in  which  we  are  delivered  from  the  power 


12G  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

of  darkness.  No  satisfaction  was  made  to  Satan,  inas- 
much as  his  dominion  was  usurped.  Captivity  was 
led  captive,  and  the  prey  taken  from  the  mighty.  If 
such  had  been  the  power  which  the  law  had  over  us, 
such  would  have  been  the  nature  of  our  redemption 
from  the  curse  of  it.  But  here  the  case  is  different. 
Christ,  however  strong  his  love  was  to  us,  did  not  ask 
our  salvation  at  the  expense  of  law  or  justice.  He 
would  rather  die,  than  admit  of  such  a  thought.  He 
was  actually  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiatory  sacrifice, 
that  he  might  declare  his  righteousness  in  the  remis- 
sion of  sins,  and  be  just  in  justifying  them  that  believe 
in  him. 

The  mediation  and  intercession  of  Christ  are 
founded  on  his  propitiatory  sacrifice,  and  carry  on 
the  great  design  of  saving  sinners  in  a  way  honorable 
to  the  law.  Mediations  require  to  be  conducted  ac- 
cording to  the  nature  of  the  case.  If  a  father  and  a 
son  be  at  variance,  and  a  common  friend  interpose  to 
effect  a  reconciliation,  his  first  inquiry  is,  Is  there  any 
fault  in  the  case  ?  If  it  be  a  mere  misunderstanding, 
an  explanation  is  sufficient.  If  fault  exists,  and  it  be 
on  both  sides,  there  will  be  ground  for  mutual  conces- 
sion. But  if  the  father  be  wholly  in  the  right,  and 
the  son  have  offended  him  without  cause,  he  must  do 
every  thing  to  honor  the  one  and  humble  the  other. 
To  propose  that  after  the  reconciliation  the  former 
system  of  family  government  should  be  superseded, 
and  that  the  son  in  future  should  be  under  a  different 
rule,  or  any  thing  implying  a  reflection  on  the  father's 
former  conduct,  would  render  the  breach  wider,  in- 
stead of  healing  it.    Such  is  the  nature  of  the  case 


CHARACTER  OF  GOD.  127 

between  God  and  man.  If  our  Mediator  with  the 
Father  had  pleaded  for  the  superseding  of  God's 
authority  as  Lawgiver,  he  had  proved  himself  utterly- 
unqualified  for  his  undertaking.  But  he  "  loved  right- 
eousness, and  hated  iniquity ;"  and  therefore  God,  his 
God,  anointed  him  with  the  oil  of  gladness  above  his 
fellows,  and  granted  him  the  desire  of  his  heart. 
Though  he  undertook  the  cause  of  sinners,  yet  he 
never  pleaded  in  extenuation  of  their  sins ;  but  pre- 
sented his  own  blood  as  a  consideration  that  they 
might  be  forgiven.  The  Mediator  for  sinners  is,  as 
it  was  requisite  he  should  be,  "  Jesus  Christ  the 
righteous." 

Permit  me  to  request  that  this  subject  may  be  seri- 
ously considered.  A  reflection  or  two  may  be  offered, 
and  with  these  I  shall  conclude  this  chapter. 

1.  If  that  system  which  embraces  the  deity  and 
atonement  of  Christ,  with  other  correspondent  doc- 
trines, be  friendly  to  a  life  of  sobriety,  righteousness, 
and  godliness,  it  must  be  of  God,  and  it  becomes  us 
to  abide  by  it,  as  being  "  the  gospel  which  we  have 
received  "  from  Christ  and  his  apostles,  "  wherein  we 
stand,  and  by  which  we  are  saved." 

2.  If  that  system  of  religion  which  rejects  the 
deity  and  atonement  of  Christ,  with  other  correspond- 
ent doctrines,  be  unfriendly  to  the  conversion  of  sin- 
ners to  a  life  of  holiness,  and  of  professed  unbelievers 
to  faith  in  Christ ;  if  it  be  a  system  which  irreligious 
men  are  the  first,  and  serious  Christians  the  last  to 
embrace;  if  it  be  found  to  relax  the  obligations  to 
virtuous  affection  and  behavior,  by  relaxing  the  great 


128  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

standard  of  virtue  itself;  if  it  promote  neither  love  to 
God  under  his  true  character,  nor  benevolence  to  men 
as  it  is  exemplified  in  the  spirit  of  Christ  and  his 
apostles ;  if  it  lead  those  who  embrace  it  to  be  wise 
in  their  own  eyes,  and  instead  of  humbly  deprecat- 
ing God's  righteous  displeasure,  even  in  their  dying 
moments  arrogantly  to  challenge  his  justice;  if  the 
charity  which  it  inculcates  be  founded  in  an  indiiffer- 
ence  to  divine  truth ;  if  it  be  inconsistent  with  ardent 
love  to  Christ  and  veneration  for  the  holy  Scriptures  ; . 
if  the  happiness  which  it  promotes  be  at  variance  with 
the  joys  of  the  gospel ;  and  finally,  if  it  diminish  the 
motives  to  gratitude,  obedience,  and  heavenly-mind- 
edness,  and  have  a  natural  tendency  to  infidelity,  it 
must  be  an  immoral  system,  and  consequently  not  of 
God.     It  is  not  the  gospel  of  Christ,  but  "  another 
gospel."    Those  who  preach  it,  preach  another  Jesm 
whom  the  apostles  did  not  preach;  and  those  who 
receive  it,  receive  another  spirit  which  they  never  im- 
bibed.    It  is  not  the  light  which  cometh  from  above, 
but  a  cloud  of  darkness  that  hath  arisen  from  beneath, 
tending  to  eclipse  it.     It  is  not  the  highway  of  truth, 
which  is  a  way  of  holiness,  but  a  by-path  of  error 
which  misleads  the  unwary  traveller^  and  of  which, 
as  we  value  our  immortal  interests,  it  becomes  us  to 
beware. 


ITS  HAPPY  RESULTS.  129 


CHAPTER   Y. 

HAPPY  RESULTS  OF  THE  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

Every  circumstance  which  had  any  relation  to  the 
death  of  Christ,  teaches  us  in  the  most  forcible  man- 
ner that  Jehovah  had  some  great  design  in  permitting 
it  to  take  place.  In  every  age  of  the  world,  and  per- 
haps in  every  nation,  sacrifices  were  offered  to  the 
deities  whom  men  adored,  to  procure  the  pardon  of 
sin ;  nor  is  it  easy  to  account  for  the  uniform  practice 
of  these  rites  on  any  other  principle  than  that  of  an 
originally  divine  institution.  We  cannot,  for  instance, 
conceive  what  should  have  induced  Abel  to  bring  the 
firstlings  of  his  flock  to  the  altar,  had  it  not  been 
required  by  the  Governor  of  the  world,  and  the  fact 
revealed,  that  without  shedding  of  blood  there  is  no 
remission.  That  sacrifices  form  no  part  of  natural 
religion,  is  clear  from  the  fact  that  the  heathen  phi- 
losophers almost  universally  protested  against  them. 
The  sacrifices  of  the  Jewish  church,  Paul  tells  us, 
were  typical  of  the  one  sacrifice  which  should  put 
away  sin.  The  law  was  "a  shadow  of  good  things 
to  come,"  and  therefore  all  its  institutions  were  of 
divine  appointment.  He  who  had  an  unchangeable 
priesthood  after  the  order  of  Melchizedek,  was  to  offer 
in  the  end  of  the  world  a  sacrifice  which  was  to  ratify 
the  new  and  everlasting  covenant,  to  supersede  the 
necessity  of  every  other  oblation,  to  deliver  us  from 

6 


130  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

the  world  and  the  dominion  of  sin,  to  destroy  idol- 
atry, to  put  a  stop  to  the  economy  which  was  exclu- 
sively adapted  to  the  Jewish  nation,  and  to  make 
Jews  and  Gentiles  one  family.  The  special  design 
of  the  death  of  Christ  was  to  atone  for  sin,  and  to 
redeem  his  people — a  statement  which  cannot  be 
made  as  to  the  death  of  any  other  person.  In  this 
single  instance  only  was  death  associated  with  perfect 
innocence. 

Every  genuine  convert  to  Christ  is  saved  from  the 
condemnation  of  sin.  Though  Peter's  hearers  were 
the  very  persons  who  with  wicked  hands  had  cruci- 
fied and  slain  the  Lord  of  life,  yet  he  gives  them  hopes 
of  mercy  and  salvation,  by  directing  their  attention 
to  the  very  person  they  had  crucified.  In  his  name 
he  preaches  repentance  and  remission  of  sins,  even 
in  Jerusalem,  assuring  them  that  Jhere  is  salvation  in 
no  other.  When  they  fled  to  the  only  refuge,  they 
found  mercy,  and  felt  that  though  Christ's  dying  for 
sin  was  a  transient  event,  it  was  of  perpetual  efi&cacy. 
The  blood  of  atonement  retains  its  cleansing  powers, 
and  makes  the  message  of  mercy  an  everlasting  gos- 
pel. All  who  come  to  God  pleading  this  atonement, 
are  saved  to  the  uttermost,  the  guilt  of  sin  is  removed, 
the  sentence  of  the  law  is  reversed,  and  they  can. 
never  come  into  condemnation. 

If  we  contemplate  the  death  of  Christ  without  its 
relation  to  the  evangelical  system,  we  shall  only  see  a 
suffering  person  at  Jerusalem,  and  feel  the  pity  and 
disgust  which  are  usually  excited  by  injustice  and 


ITS  HAPPli.  RESULTS.  131 

cruelty.  But  let  us  view  it  as  connected  with  the 
moral  government  of  God,  as  a  glorious  expedient  to 
secure  its  honors,  a  "  propitiation"  wherein  "  God  de- 
clared his  righteousness  for  the  remission  of  sin,"  and 
we  shall  have  a  new  set  of  feelings.  While  the 
apostles  continued  to  view  this  event  unconnectedly, 
their  minds  were  contracted,  and  sorrow  filled  their 
hearts ;  but  when  their  eyes  were  opened  to  see  it  in 
its  connections  and  consequences,  their  sorrow  was 
turned  into  joy.  Those  very  persons  who  but  a  few 
weeks  before  could  not  bear  to  think  of  their  Lord's 
departure,  after  they  had  witnessed  his  ascension  to 
glory,  "returned  to  Jerusalem  with  great  joy,  and 
continued  daily  in  the  temple  praising  and  blessing 
God." 

How  was  it  that  tha  apostle  Paul  became  dead  to 
the  world  by  the  cross  of  Christ?  I  suppose  on 
much  the  same  principle  that  the  light  of  the  stars  is 
eclipsed  by  that  of  the  sun ;  or  that  a  man,  having 
drunk  old  wine,  ceases  to  desire  new,  for  he  saith  the 
old  is  better.  It  is  by  drinking  deeply  into  religion 
that  we  become  disaffected  to  sinful  objects.  No 
effect  of  this  kind  can  be  produced  any  further  than 
we  receive  the  truth. 

Faith  towards  God,  or  a  believing  view  of  the 
being  and  glory  of  the  divine  character,  is  reckoned 
among  the  first  principles  of  the  doctrines  of  Christ. 
If  we  have  just  ideas  of  this  very  important  subject, 
we  have  the  key  to  the  whole  system  of  gospel  truth. 
He  who  beholds  the  glory  of  the  divine  holiness,  will 


132  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

in  that  glass  perceive  his  own  polluted  and  perishing 
condition ;  and  when  properly  impressed  with  a  sense 
of  these  things,  he  will  naturally  embrace  the  doc- 
trine of  a  Saviour ;  yea,  and  of  a  great  one.  Salvation 
by  mere  grace,  through  the  atonement  of  Jesus,  will 
appear  the  very  object  of  his  soul's  desire.  And 
with  these  principles  in  his  heart,  other  scripture  doc- 
trines will  appear  true,  interesting,  and  harmonipus. 
There  are  but  few  erroneous  sentiments  in  the  Chris- 
tian world  which  may  not  be  traced  to  a  spirit  of  self- 
admiration,  which  is  the  opposite  of  repentance,  or  to 
false  views  of  the  divine  character. 

The  apostle  Paul,  when  writing  to  the  Ephesian 
church,  speaks  of  sinners  as  being  brought  nigh  to 
God  "  by  the  blood  of  Christ."  Chap.  2  :  13.  In  this 
text  the  blood  of  Christ  may  be  considered  in  three 
views:  as  shed  upon  the  cross,  as  proclaimed  by  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel,  and  as  believed  in  for  salva- 
tion by  the  perishing  sinner.  These,  being  united, 
bring  near  those  who  were  once  far  off. 

1.  By  the  hlood  of  Christ,  as  shed  upon  the  cross, 
atonement  was  made,  sin  was  expiated,  and  a  way  opened 
for  God  to  draw  near  to  the  sinner,  and  the  sinner  to  God, 
In  punishing  transgressors,  displeasure  is  expressed 
against  transgression.  In  substitutionary  sacrifices, 
displeasure  was  expressed  against  transgression ;  but 
withal,  mercy  to  the  transgressor :  the  former,  as  sig- 
nifying that  thus  the  offerer  deserved  to  have  been 
treated ;  the  latter,  as  accepting  a  substitute  in  his 
stead.  In  the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  both  these  senti- 
ments were  expressed  in  the  highest  degree:  "God 


ITS  HAPPY  RESULTS.  133 

sent  his  own  Son  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  and 
for  sin/'  or  by  a  sacrifice  for  sin,  ^^  condemned  sin  in 
the  flesh."  "  He  that  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  de- 
livered him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall  he  not  with  him 
also  freely  gii^e  us  all  things?"  In  proportion  as 
God's  own  Son  was  dear  to  him,  and,  as  possessed  of 
divine  dignity,  estimable  by  him,  such  were  the  hatred 
of  sin  and  the  love  to  sinners  manifested  in  smiting 
him. 

If  mercy  had  been  exercised  to  men  without  such 
an  expression  of  displeasure  against  their  sin,  it  must 
have  appeared  to  the  creation  to  be  connivance,  and 
the  character  of  God  must  have  sunk  in  their  estima- 
tion. He  must  have  appeared  to  be  very  strict  in- 
deed in  his  precepts,  and  severe  in  his  threatenings ; 
but  as  lax  in  enforcing  them  as  though  he  had  known 
from  the  beginning  that  they  would  not  bear  to  be 
acted  upon.  The  fallen  angels  in  particular  must 
have  felt  that  it  could  not  be  justice  that  consigned 
them  to  hopeless  perdition,  for  justice  is  impartial. 
If  the  Creator  could  connive  at  sin  in  one  instance, 
he  could  in  another.  Thus  the  bands  of  moral  gov- 
ernment had  been  broken,  and  the  cords  which  held 
creation  together  cast  away. 

But  by  the  atonement  of  Christ  a  way  is  opened 
for  the  consistent  exercise  of  mercy.  There  was  a 
kind  of  atonement  made  by  the  vengeance  taken  on 
the  old  world ;  also  by  that  on  the  Benjamites,  as  re- 
corded in  the  last  chapters  of  Judges.  Each  of  these 
events  served  to  express  the  divine  displeasure  against 
sin,  and  each  made  way  for  the  exercise  of  mercy ;  the 
one  towards  Noah  and  his  posterity,  and  the  other 


134  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

towards  the  remnant  that  had  taken  refuge  in  the 
rock  Rimmon.  Thus,  in  the  death  of  Christ,  though 
he  died  "  the  just  for  the  unjust,"  yet  God  herein  ex- 
pressed his  displeasure  against  sin ;  and  having  done 
this,  could  be  "just,  and  the  justifier  of  him  which 
believeth  in  Jesus."  There  is  now  no  bar,  in  respect 
of  the  government  of  God,  why  any  sinner  should 
not,  on  returning  to  him  in  the  name  of  his  Son,  find 
mercy.  On  this  ground,  sinners,  without  distinction, 
are  actually  invited  to  come  unto  him  and  be  saved. 
The  only  bar  that  remains  is  a  spirit  of  pride  and 
unbelief.  If  they  can  believe  in  Jesus,  receiving  sal- 
vation as  God's  free  gift  through  him,  "  all  things  are 
possible  to  him  that  believeth." 

When,  on  visiting  a  dying  man,  I  hear  him  talk  of 
having  made  his  peace  with  God,  I  tremble  for  him. 
If  our  peace  be  made  with  God,  it  is  by  the  blood  of 
the  cross.  What  are  our  confessions,  or  prayers,  or 
tears  ?  Can  they  heal  the  awful  breach  ?  If  so,  God 
would  have  spared  his  own  Son,  and  not  have  deliv- 
ered him  up  to  be  made  a  sacrifice.  It  had  then  been 
possible  for  the  cup  to  pass  from  him,  and  it  would  no 
doubt  have  passed  from  him.  If  without  the  shedding 
of  blood  there  be  no  remission,  and  if  it  were  impossi- 
ble for  the  blood  of  bulls  and  of  goats  to  take  a,way 
sin,  the  consequence  is,  that  either  Christ  must  be  the 
sacrifice,  or  we  must  die  in  our  sins  and  perish.  He 
hath  made  peace  by  the  blood  of  his  cross :  it  is  not 
for  us  to  assume  to  be  peacemakers,  but  to  accept  of 
his  mediation. 

2.  The  blood  of  Christ,  as  proclaimed  in  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel,  is  the  appointed  means  of  bringing  sinners 


ITS  HAPPY  RESULTS.  135 

'mar  to  God.  It  is  the  doctrine  of  salvation  through 
the  blood  of  Christ  that  is,  by  way  of  eminency,  called 
the  gospel.  It  was  the  doctrine  which  Christ  com- 
missioned his  disciples  to  preach  to  every  creature: 
"  Thus  it  is  written,  and  thus  it  behooved  Christ  to 
suffer,  and  to  rise  from  the  dead  the  third  day ;  and 
that  repentance  and  remission  of  sins  should  be 
preached  in  his  name  among  all  nations,  beginning  at 
Jerusalem."  This  doctrine  is  good  news  to  every 
creature,  and  that  whether  it  be  received  or  re- 
jected. It  is  good  news  that  a  way  is  opened  by  the 
death  of  Christ  for  any  sinner  to  return  to  God  and 
be  saved;  and  that  if  any  sinner  walk  therein,  he 
shall  be  saved.  It  is  the  ministry  of  reconciliation, 
in  which  the  servants  of  Christ,  as  though  God  did 
beseech  by  them,  pray  men  in  Christ's  stead,  saying, 
"  Be  ye  reconciled  to  God."  Its  being  made  light  of 
by  the  greater  part  of  men  does  not  alter  its  nature ; 
and  this  they  shall  know  another  day.  God  brings 
near  his  righteousness,  even  to  them  that  are  stout- 
hearted and  far  from  righteousness.  "  Into  whatso- 
ever city  ye  enter,"  said  our  Lord,  "  and  they  receive 
you,  eat  such  things  as  are  set  before  you;  and  heal 
the  sick  that  are  therein,  and  say  unto  them.  The 
kingdom  of  God  is  come  nigh  unto  you.  But  into 
whatsoever  city  ye  enter,  and  they  receive  you  not,  go 
your  ways  out  into  the  streets  of  the  same,  and  say, 
Even  the  very  dust  of  your  city,  which  cleaveth  on  us, 
we  do  wipe  off  against  you:  notwithstanding,  be  ye 
sure  of  this,  that  the  kingdom  of  God  is  come  nigh 
unto  you.  But  I  say  unto  you,  that  it  shall  be  more 
tolerable  in  that  day  for  Sodom,  than  for  that  city." 


136  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

3.  By  the  doctrine  of  solvation  through  the  blood  of 
Christ  we  are  actually  brought  nigh.  As  tlie  prodigal 
was  brought  home  to  his  father's  house  and  family,  so 
we  are  brought  home  to  God.  It  is  thus  that  we  be- 
come actually  reconciled  to  God.  "  If  when  we  were 
enemies,"  says  the  apostle,  "we  were  reconciled  to 
God  by  the  death  of  his  Son ;  much  more,  being  recon- 
ciled, we  shall  be  saved  by  his  life."  The  term  "  recon- 
ciled "  is  here  manifestly  used  in  different  senses.  In 
the  former  instance,  it  refers  to  the  making  of  atone- 
ment ;  in  the  latter,  to  our  believing  acquiescence  in 
it;  or,  as  it  is  expressed  in  the  following  verse,  to 
our  "receiving  the  atonement."  It  is  in  this  way 
that  our  sins  are  forgiven ;  that  we  are  justified,  or 
accepted  in  the  Beloved ;  that  we  are  invested  with 
the  privilege  of  being  the  sons  and  daughters  of  the 
Lord  Almighty;  that  God  is  our  God,  and  we  his 
people,  by  a  new  and  better  covenant ;  that  we  have 
access  to  him  as  our  heavenly  Father,  and  to  all  the 
ordinances  and  privileges  of  his  house :  finally,  it  is 
as  believing  in  Him  who  died  and  rose  again,  that  we 
live  in  hope  of  eternal  life. 

There  is  a  term  used  by  the  apostle,  in  Eph.  3  :  12, 
which  conveys  a  very  expressive  idea,  not  only  of  the 
nearness  to  which  believers  are  admitted  by  the  faith 
of  Christ,  and  which  is  denoted  by  the  term  "  access," 
but  of  their  being  introduced  by  him,  as  by  one  taking 
them  by  the  hand,  and  presenting  them  to  the  king. 
We  could  not  be  admitted  into  the  divine  presence  by 
ourselves ;  but  our  Mediator,  taking  us  as  it  were  by 
the  hand,  presents  us  to  God.  It  is  thus  that  we  are 
"  accepted  in  the  Beloved  "  on  our  first  believing,  and 


ITS  HAPPY  RESULTS.  137 

in  all  our  approaches  to  the  throne  of  grace  have 
access  to  God. 

There  is  another  set  of  truths  which  illustrate  the 
same  great  subject.  For  what  purpose  was  the  Son 
of  God  manifested  in  human  nature?  Was  it  not 
that  "  he  might  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil  ?"  To 
what  are  we  elected  ?  That  we  should  "  be  holy,  and 
without  blame  before  him  in  love."  To  what  are  we 
predestinated  ?  That  we  might  "  be  conformed  to  the 
image  of  his  Son."  Why  did  he  give  himself  for  us, 
but  that  he  "  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and 
purify  unto  himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good 
works  ?"  Why  are  we  called  out  of  a  state  of  dark- 
darkness  into  his  marvellous  light,  but  that  we  might 
"  walk  as  children  of  light  ?"  Of  what  use  are  the 
"  exceeding  great  and  precious  promises"  of  the  Scrip- 
tures ?  Is  it  not  that,  having  them,  we  should  "  cleanse 
ourselves  from  all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit, 
perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God  ?"  That  is  not 
Christianity  which  does  not  operate  in  this  way.  He 
who  sinneth  habitually  is  of  the  devil,  and  hath  not 
seen  or  known  God.  Wicked  men  seek  a  system  of 
religion  which  may  consist  with  their  lusts ;  and  God, 
in  righteous  judgment,  often  suffers  them  to  find  it ; 
but  it  is  not  the  gospel :  the  language  of  the  gospel 
is,  "  These  things  are  written  to  you,  that  ye  sin 
not." 

The  Scriptures  guard  the  doctrine  of  grace,  not 
indeed  by  limiting  its  operations  to  lesser  sinners, 
but  by  insisting  on  its  mortifying  and  sanctifying 
effects.    The  apostle  Paul,  notwithstanding  all  that  he 


138  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

had  written  on  justification  by  faith,  exempts  none 
from  condemnation  but  those  who  are  "in  Christ 
Jesus  f  and  admits  none  to  be  "  in  Christ  Jesus,"  but 
those  who  "walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the 
Spirit."  He  still  declared,  "  If  ye  live  after  the  flesh, 
ye  shall  die."  There  is  a  universality  pertaining  to 
true  holiness,  which  distinguishes  it  from  all  that  is 
spurious.  We  must  be  "  holy  in  all  manner  of  con- 
versation," or  there  is  no  real  holiness  in  us.  A  sin- 
gle "wicked  way"  will  lead  to  destruction.  If  any 
man  depart  utterly  from  God,  he  ought  to  conclude 
that  the  fear  of  God  was  not  in  him.  If  the  blossom 
go  up  as  the  dust,  the  root  was  rottenness.  If  in 
times  of  temptation  we  fall  away,  it  is  because  we 
have  "no  root  in  ourselves."  "If,"  says  the  apostle 
John,  "they  had  been  of  us,  they  would  no  doubt 
have  continued  with  us ;  but  they  went  out,  that  they 
might  be  made  manifest  that  they  were  not  all  of  us." 
Even  our  partial  departures  from  God  must  render 
our  state  doubtful.  When  the  Galatians  doubted 
the  gospel,  the  apostle  stood  in  doubt  of  them;  de- 
claring he  was  afraid  of  them,  lest  he  had  "  bestowed 
upon  them  labor  in  vain."  And  had  they  judged 
according  to  evidence,  as  he  did,  they  must  have 
stood  in  doubt  of  themselves.  To  represent,  as  some 
do,  that  doubts  and  fears  of  this  kind  are  the  tempta- 
tions of  Satan,  or  the  workings  of  unbelief,  and  require 
to  be  resisted  as  that  which  is  dishonorable  to  God, 
is  to  promote  the  most  dangerous  delusion,  and  to 
bring  the  blood  of  souls  upon  their  own  heads.  The 
things  which  they  call  the  temptations  of  Satan,  may 
be  found  to  be  the  dictates  of  an  awakened  con- 


ITS  HAPPY  RESULTS.  139 

science,  which  they  endeavor  to  lull  asleep.  Doubts 
of  the  goodness  or  veracity  of  God,  or  of  the  all-sufiS- 
ciency  or  willingness  of  the  Saviour  to  receive  those 
that  come  to  him,  are  indeed  dishonorable  to  God; 
but  doubts  of  our  own  sincerity,  founded  upon  our 
departures  in  heart  and  conduct  from  him,  are  so  far 
from  being  sinful  that  they  are  necessary  to  awaken  us 
to  self-examination.  Thus  the  Corinthians,  who  had 
sunk  into  many  and  great  evils,  were  called  upon,  not 
to  hold  fast  the  persuasion  that  notwithstanding  this 
their  state  was  safe,  but  to  examine  themselves  whether 
they  were  in  the  faith,  and  to  prove  their  own  selves ; 
and  assured,  that  except  indeed  they  were  reprobates, 
or  disapproved  of  God,  Jesus  Christ  was  in  them,  that 
is,  by  his  word  and  Spirit,  bringing  forth  fruit. 

Did  the  Lord  Jesus  satisfy  divirie  jmtice,  and  there- 
by open  the  way  of  salvation?  Certainly  it  is  not 
for  us  to  attempt  any  thing  like  this ;  but  by  believ- 
ing in  him,  we  acquiesce  in  what  he  has  done  and  suf- 
fered, and  so  are  made  conformable  to  it.  Nor  is  this 
confined  to  our  first  believing :  the  more  we  know  of 
Christ,  and  the  power  of  his  resurrection,  and  the  fel- 
lowship of  his  sufferings,  the  more  we  are  in  this  way 
made  conformable  to  his  death.  The  death  of  Christ 
will  give  the  impression  to  the  very  enjoyment  of 
heaven.  "The  Lamb  that  was  slain"  will  be  the 
theme  of  the  song  for  ever. 

Was  he  "  manifested  to  destroy  the  works  of  the 
devil?"  If  we  are  made  conformable  to  his  death, 
we  also  shall  wage  war  with  them.  If  we  live  in  sin, 
we  are  of  the  devil,  and  must  needs  be  at  variance 


140  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

with,  the  death  of  Christ;  sparing  that  which. he  was 
manifested  in  human  nature  to  destroy.  The  finished 
work  of  Christ  upon  the  cross  did  not  supersede  the 
necessity  of  our  being  active  in  overcoming  evil.  We 
must  set  our  feet  upon  the  necks  of  these  spiritual 
enemies,  taking  a  part  in  their  destruction.  Neither 
did  it  supersede  the  necessity  of  our  active  persever- 
ance in  the  use  of  all  means  by  which  we  may  disen- 
gage our  souls  from  the  entanglements  of  sin,  praying 
and  struggling  from  under  its  dominion,  perfecting 
holiness  in  the  fear  of  God.  It  is  thus  that  we  have 
to  "  work  out  our  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trem- 
bling," which,  instead  of  superseding  the  death  of 
Christ,  is  being  made  conformable  to  it.  From  his 
having  died  for  sin,  we  are  exhorted  to  die  to  it,  and 
to  live  unto  God.  We  cannot  enter  into  the  end  of 
Christ's  death,  which  was  to  make  an  end  of  sin,  un- 
less we  become  dead  to  sin ;  nor  into  his  resurrection, 
without  rising  with  him  into  newness  of  life. 

In  waging  war  with  sin,  it  is  necessary  to  begin 
with  ourselves,  but  not  to  end  there.  If  we  are  made 
conformable  to  the  death  of  Christ,  we  shall  be  ad- 
verse to  sin  wherever  we  find  it ;  avoiding  all  parti- 
cipation in  it  through  complaisance  or  worldly  inter- 
est, and  uniting  to  promote  sobriety,  righteousness, 
and  godliness  in  its  place. 

Moreover,  Christ  died  "  to  save  sinners  f  and  if  we 
are  made  conformable  to  his  death,  we  also  shall  seek 
their  salvation.  Some  of  the  first  thoughts  which 
occur  to  a  believer's  mind,  on  having  found  rest  for 
his  own  soul,  respect  the  salvation  of  his  kindred  and 
friends ;  and  the  direction  given  to  one  who  had  ob- 


ITS  HAPPY  RESULTS.  141 

tained  mercy,  gives  entire  sanction  to  such  thoughts 
and  desires :  "  Go  home  to  thy  friends,  and  tell  them 
how  great  things  the  Lord  hath  done  for  thee,  and 
hath  had  compassion  on  thee." 

It  is  not  for  ministers  only  to  take  an  interest  in 
the  salvation  of  men ;  the  army  of  the  Lamb  is  com- 
posed of  the  whole  body  of  Christians.  Every  dis- 
ciple of  Jesus  should  consider  himself  as  a  missionary. 
All  indeed  are  not  apostles,  nor  evangelists,  nor  preach- 
ers, but  all  must  be  engaged  in  serving  the  Lord ;  some 
by  preaching,  some  by  contributing  of  their  substance, 
and  all  by  prayer,  and  recommending  the  Saviour  by 
a  holy  conversation. 

It  is  of  importance  to  remember  that  the  benefits  of 
the  atonement  of  Christ  are  still  flowing  to  us,  because 
he  is  yet  living  in  heaven  on  our  behalf.  In  his  inter- 
view with  his  beloved  disciple  John,  as  recorded  in 
the  Apocalypse,  he  speaks  of  his  life  as  succeeding  to 
his  death :  "  I  am  he  that  liveth,  and  was  dead^  This 
part  of  the  description  would  remove  all  doubts,  if 
any  existed,  as  to  who  he  was.  The  disparity  between 
his  present  appearance  and  what  he  was  when  the 
apostle  saw  and  conversed  with  him  in  the  flesh,  must 
be  exceedingly  great,  and  might  tend  to  stagger  his 
belief  in  his  being  the  same  person ;  but  this  speech, 
whatever  doubts  he  felt,  would  at  once  remove  them. 
Yes;  it  is  my  Lord  himself,  and  not  another.  It  is 
he  whom  I  saw  expire  upon  the  cross. 

The  connection  between  the  death  of  Christ  on 
earth  and  his  succeeding  life  in  glory,  renders  each  of 
them  more  interesting.     There  is  great  joy  derived 


142  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

from  the  consideration  of  salvation  through  the  death 
of  Christ.  It  is  the  burden  of  the  heavenly  song. 
But  this  would  be  no  joy  were  it  not  for  the  consider- 
ation of  his  life.  What  if  we  could  all  have  obtained 
salvation,  yet  if  it  must  have  been  at  the  expense  of  the 
everlasting  blessedness  of  our  Deliverer,  who  could 
have  enjoyed  it?  What  would  the  feast  be  if  the 
Lord  of  the  feast  were  not  there  ?  Though  in  endur- 
ing the  death  of  the  cross,  he  had  "spoiled  principali- 
ties and  powers,"  and  "  made  a  show  of  them  openly," 
yet,  if  he  had  not  lived  to  enjoy  his  triumphs,  what 
would  they  have  been  to  the  redeemed,  and  even  to 
the  angelic  world  ?  If  the  King's  Son  had  been  lost, 
the  victory  of  that  day  would  have  been  turned  into 
mourning.  If  it  had  been  possible  for  him  to  be 
holden  of  death,  the  loss  to  the  moral  empire  of  God 
must  have  exceeded  the  gain,  and  the  saved  them- 
selves must  have  been  ashamed  to  appear  in  heaven 
at  the  expense  of  the  general  good.  But  we  are  not 
called  to  so  painful  a  trial.  Our  salvation,  expensive 
as  it  was,  was  not  at  this  expense.  He  was  dead,  but  he 
liveth.  "  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  who  according  to  his  abundant  mercy 
hath  begotten  us  again  unto  a  lively  hope  by  the  res- 
urrection of  Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead." 

And  as  the  life  of  Christ  adds  to  the  joy  arising 
from  his  death,  so  the  death  of  Christ  adds  to  the  joy 
arising  from  his  life.  There  is  great  joy,  as  we  have 
seen,  derived  from  his  life ;  but  it  would  not  be  what 
it  is,  if  this  his  life  had  not  succeeded  his  death.  The 
life  of  Isaac  was  dear  to  Abraham  before  he  attempted 
to  offer  him  up  as  a  sacrifice ;  but  it  would  be  much 


ITS  HAPPY  RESULTS.  143 

more  so  when  he  had  received  him  as  from  the  dead. 
The  life  of  Joseph  was  dear  to  Jacob  when  he  dwelt 
with  him  in  the  vale  of  Hebron ;  but  it  would  be  much 
more  so  after  his  having  in  a  manner  buried  him.  If 
Christ  had  never  divested  himself  of  the  glory  which 
he  had  with  the  Father  before  the  world  was,  it  would 
not  have  been  to  us  that  which  it  will  be.  The  very 
angels,  though  he  died  not  for  them,  nor  for  any  of 
their  species,  yet  honor  him  as  "  the  Lamb  that  was 
slain.  And  as  to  the  redeemed  themselves,  their 
song  is  sweeter  still :  "  Thou  art  worthy,"  say  they, 
"for  thou  wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God 
by  thy  blood,  out  of  every  kindred,  and  tongue,  and 
people,  and  nation ;  and  hast  made  us  unto  our  God 
kings  and  priests ;  and  we  shall  reign  on  the  earth." 
He  describes  himself  not  only  as  "  he  that  liveth, 
and  was  dead,"  but  as  being  "  alive  for  evermore^  He 
was  raised  not  only  to  life,  but  to  an  immortal  life. 
"He  dieth  no  more ;  death hatli  no  more  dominion  over 
him."  This  cheering  truth  arises  from  the  perfection 
of  his  sacrifice.  The  sacrifices  under  the  law  could 
not  take  away  sin,  but  were  mere  shadows  of  good 
things  to  come,  and  therefore  required  to  be  often 
repeated ;  but  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  was  "  once  for 
all."  The  Scriptures  lay  great  stress  upon  the  term 
once^  as  applied  to  the  sacrifice  of  Christ;  it  is  used 
no  less  than  six  times  in  this  connection :  "  Christ 
being  raised  from  the  dead,"  saith  the  apostle,  "dieth 
no  more :  death  hath  no  more  dominion  over  him ;" 
and  thus  he  accounts  for  it :  "  For  in  that  he  died,  he 
died  unto  sin  oTice;  but  in  that  he  liveth,  he  liveth 
unto  God."    A  transient  suffering  in  so  divine  a  per- 


144  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

son  was  sufficient  to  expiate  that  which  would  have 
subjected  us  to  everlasting  punishment,  and  to  lay  the 
foundation  of  a  permanent  life  with  God,  both  for 
himself  and  for  all  those  who  believe  in  him.  Such 
was  the  value  of  his  sacrifice,  that  its  influence  will 
continue  for  ever.  Even  when  the  work  of  mediation 
shall  be  perfected,  and  the  kingdom  as  mediatorial 
be  "  delivered  up  to  the  Father,  that  God  may  be  all 
in  all,"  Christ  will  live,  and  be  the  life  of  the  church 
for  ever.  In  that  state  where  "  there  will  be  no  tem- 
ple," "  the  Lord  God  Almighty  and  the  Lamb "  are 
said  to  be  "  the  temple  thereof;"  and  the  reason  given 
for  there  being  no  need  of  the  sun,  nor  of  the  moon, 
is,  that  "  the  glory  of  God  will  lighten  it,  and  the 
Lamb  will  be  the  light  thereof." 

We  may  here  remind  you  again  of  the  great  cause 
to  which  all  this  blessedness  is  to  be  ascribed.  The 
apostle  Paul  writes  to  the  Ephesians,  that  Christ 
"  loved  the  church,  and  gave  himself  for  it,  that  he 
might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it  with  the  washing  of 
water  by  the  word."  I  think  it  not  improbable  that 
the  apostle  may  allude  to  the  parable  concerning  the 
Jewish  church  in  the  sixteenth  chapter  of  Ezekiel. 
The  substance  of  it  is  this :  A  female  infant,  the  fruit 
perhaps  of  an  illicit  connection,  whose  wretched  par- 
ents in  order  to  hide  her  shame  had  left  it  in  the 
fields,  was  discovered  by  a  humane  prince  who  hap- 
pened to  be  passing  that  way  at  the  time.  He  looked 
at  the  perishing  babe,  and  pitied  it.  I  will  save  thy 
life,  said  he ;  and  as  thou  art  fatherless  and  mother- 
less, I  will  be  both  father  and  mother  to  thee,  and  thou 


ITS  HAPPY  RESULTS.  145 

shalt  be  mine.  He  then  washed  and  clothed  her ;  and 
taking  her  to  his  palace,  gave  her  an  education  suited 
to  his  intentions,  which  in  fact  were,  at  a  proper  time, 
to  marry  her.  On  her  arriving  at  years  of  maturity, 
he  carried  his  design  into  execution ;  she  became  his 
wife,  and  the  crown  royal  was  placed  upon  her  head. 

Look  at  this  representation,  and  at  His  conduct 
who  "  loved  the  church,  and  gave  himself  for  it,  that 
he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it  with  the  washing  of 
water  by  the  word,  that  he  might  present  it  to  him- 
self a  glorious  church,  not  having  spot  or  wrinkle, 
or  any  such  thing;  but  that  it  should  be  holy  and 
without  blemish."  Look,  I  say,  at  both  these  repre- 
sentations, and  judge  if  the  one  has  not  some  refer- 
ence to  the  other. 

For  the  accomplishment  of  so  great  a  deliverance, 
it  was  necessary  that  Christ  should  love  the  church. 
The  thought  of  this  is  overwhelming.  His  wisdom 
and  power  and  majesty  may  induce  us  to  admire  and 
adore  him,  but  to  thinlc  of  his  loving  sinful  men  ex- 
cites amazement. 

There  are  several  properties  pertaining  to  the 
love  of  Christ  which  require  to  be  taken  into  the  ac- 
count, if  we  would  form  any  thing  like  a  just  view  of 
it.  Love  may  be  founded  upon  character,  Christ  him- 
self speaks  of  loving  his  disciples  on  this  account :  "  If 
ye  keep  my  commandments,  ye  shall  abide  in  my  love ; 
even  as  I  have  kept  my  Father's  commandments,  and 
abide  in  his  love."  But  that  of  which  we  are  speak- 
ing could  not  be  founded  upon  any  thing  of  this  kind, 
for  its  object  is  supposed  to  be  altogether  polluted. 
He  loved  his  church,  and  gave  himself  for  it,  not  be- 


146  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

cause  it  was  sanctified  and  cleansed,  or  in  yiew  of  its 
being  so,  but  "  that  he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it." 
Again,  love  towards  an  unworthy  object  is  commonly 
no  other  than  general  benevolence.  Such  was  that  com- 
passion which  our  Saviour  felt  when  he  wept  over 
Jerusalem,  and  such  that  good- will  towards  men  of 
which  his  being  born  into  the  world  was  an  expres- 
sion. God's  giving  his  only  begotten  Son  to  be  made 
a  sacrifice,  and  declaring  that  whosoever  believes  in 
him  shall  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life,  was  a 
great  expression  of  divine  goodness  towards  sinners, 
whether  they  believe  and  be  saved  or  not.  But  the 
love  which  Christ  is  said  to  have  borne  to  the  church 
was  discriminating,  and  effectual  to  its  salvation. 
The  church  is  supposed,  to  have  been  given  him  of 
the  Father,  to  be  unto  him  as  a  bride  to  a  husband, 
and  ultimately  the  reward  of  his  undertaking.  The 
love  of  Christ,  therefore,  in  this  connection,  can  be 
no  other  than  electing  love ;  and  the  passage  may  be 
considered  as  parallel  with  that  at  the  beginning  of 
the  epistle,  "He  hath  chosen  us  in  him  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  that  we  should  be  holy  and 
without  blame  before  him  in  love." 

For  the  accomplishment  of  the  church's  redemp- 
tion, it  was  necessary  that  Christ  should  give  himself 
a  sacrifice.  In  this  way  his  love  must  operate,  or  be 
ineffectual.  We  are  now  speaking  on  the  most  inter- 
esting part  of  the  most  interesting  subject  that  was 
ever  presented  to  men  or  angels.  It  was  on  this  that 
Paul  wrote  so  feelingly :  "  The  life  which  I  now  live 
in  the  flesh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  who 
loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me.^'    It  was  this  that 


ITS  HAPPY  RESULTS.  I47 

furnished  John  with  his  affecting  doxology:  "Unto 
Him  that  loved  its,  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own 
blood,  to  him  be  glory  and  dominion  for  ever  and  ever. 
Amen."  It  is  this  that  furnishes  the  church  in  heaven 
with  its  "new  song :"  "Thou  art  worthy— for  thou  wast 
slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood,  out  of 
every  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  and  nation." 

From  these  great  facts  we  learn  that  the  cross  of 
Christ,  instead  of  issuing  in  disgrace,  is  followed  with 
glory.  His  friends  learned  to  glory  in  it ;  yea,  and 
to  glory  in  nothing  else :  and  well  they  might.  It 
was  glorious  to  see  the  powers  of  darkness  stripped 
naked,  as  it  were,  to  their  shame ;  to  see  Satan  foiled 
by  the  woman's  Seed,  and  his  schemes  exposed  to  the 
derision  of  the  universe  ;  to  see  him  taken  in  his  own 
net,  and  falling  into  the  pit  that  himself  had  digged. 
It  was  glorious  to  contemplate  the  numerous  and  im- 
portant bearings  of  this  one  great  event.  By  this  the 
divine  displeasure  against  sin  is  manifested  in  stronger 
language,  than  if  the  world  had  been  made  a  sacri- 
fice ;  by  this  a  way  is  opened  for  the  consistent  exercise 
of  mercy  to  the  chief  of  sinners ;  by  a  believing  view 
of  this,  peace  arises  in  the  mind,  and  at  the  same  time 
purity  in  the  heart ;  for  this  he  is  crowned  with  glory 
and  honor  in  the  heavens,  principalities  and  powers 
being  made  subject  to  him.  This  is  the  only  hope  of  a 
lost  world,  the  only  medium  of  acceptance  with  God, 
and  the  only  admissible  plea  in  our  approaches  before 
him.  This  it  is  which  will  put  every  grace  in  exer- 
cise in  this  world,  and  impart  all  the  happiness  in 
that  to  come  of  which  created  minds  are  susceptible. 


148  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

These  are  a  few  of  the  bearings  of  the  doctrine  of 
the  cross.  Is  it  any  wonder  that  angels  should  de- 
sire to  look  into  it  ?  Rather,  is  it  not  matter  of  won- 
der and  shame  that  we,^  who  are  more  immediately 
interested  in  it  than  they,  should  be  so  far  behind? 
How  is  it  that  we  should  be  the  last  to  bring  back 
the  King,  who  are  his  bone  and  his  flesh.  Our  Re- 
deemer took  not  upon  him  the  nature  of  angels ;  yet 
they  love  him,  and  the  gospel  of  salvation  by  him : 
and  wherefore?  They  love  God,  and  therefore  re- 
joice in  every  thing  that  glorifies  him  in  the  highest ; 
they  love  men,  and  therefore  rejoice  in  that  which 
brings  peace  on  earth  and  good-will  to  them;  they 
rejoice  in  every  instance  of  the  prosperity  of  Christ's 
kingdom,  and  in  being  themselves  made  subject  to 
him.  Had  we  but  their  love  with  our  interest,  we 
should  not  only  emulate,  but  exceed  their  highest 
praise.  While  they,  in  innumerable  myriads,  were 
saying  with  a  loud  voice,  "  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that 
was  slain  to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom, 
and  strength,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  blessing,"  we 
should  not  only  say,  "Amen,"  but  add,  "Thou  art 
worthy ;  for  thou  wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to 
God  by  thy  blood,  out  of  every  kindred,  and  tongue, 
and  people,  and  nation." 

• 
Every  thoughtful  reader  will  perceive  how  much 
the  value  of  the  atonement  of  Christ  is  enhanced  by 
a  due  consideration  of  the  manner  in  which  we  are 
made  the  partakers  of  its  benefits.  Much  is  said  con- 
cerning faith  in  the  holy  Scriptures,  especially  in  the 
New  Testament ;  and  great  stress  is  laid  upon  it,  es- 


ITS  HAPPY  EESULTS.  149 

pecially  by  the  author  of  the  epistle  to  the  Hebrews. 
This,  I  apprehend,  is  not  very  difficult  to  be  accounted 
for.  Ever  since  the  fall  of  man,  we  have  been  en- 
tirely dependent  on  the  mercy  of  God  through  a  Me- 
diator. We  all  lie  at  his  discretion,  and  are  beholden 
to  his  mere  sovereign  grace  for  all  the  happiness  we 
enjoy.  We  have  nothing  on  which  we  can  rely  for 
the  possession  or  continuance  of  any  good,  but  the 
word  and  will  of  God.  The  only  life,  therefore,  proper 
for  a  fallen  creature  in  our  world,  is  a  life  oi faith — • 
to  be  constantly  sensible  of  our  dependence  upon  God, 
continually  going  to  him,  and  receiving  all  from  him, 
for  the  life  that  now  is  and  that  which  is  to  come. 

All  our  approaches  to  Christ,  and  all  our  fellow- 
ship with  him,  are  by  faith  in  the  account  which  God 
has  given  of  him  in  his  word.  The  excellence  of 
Christ's  undertaking  and  benefits  are  the  joy  and 
even  the  life  of  our  souls,  if  indeed  we  are  true  Chris- 
tians. But  what  evidence  have  we  of  all  or  any  of 
these?  yea,  what  evidence  have  we  that  there  is, 
or  ever  was,  such  a  person  as  Jesus  Christ?  or  if 
there  was,  that  he  was  the  Messiah,  the  Son  of  God  ? 
We  neither  saw  him  alive,  nor  die,  rise  again,  nor 
ascend  to  heaven.  We  never  saw  the  miracles  he 
wrought,  nor  heard  the  voice  from  the  excellent  glory, 
saying,  "  This  is  my  beloved  Son ;  hear  ye  him."  We 
speak  of  his  personal  excellence,  divine  and  human; 
of  his  love,  zeal,  righteousness,  meekness,  and  patience; 
but  what  know  we  of  them  ?  We  rejoice  in  his  being 
constituted  our  Surety  to  obey  the  law,  and  endure 
the  cui'se  in  our  stead ;  but  how  know  we  that  so  in- 


150  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

deed  it  is  ?  We  glory  in  the  imputation  of  his  right- 
eousness, and  exult  in  the  hope  of  being  found  in  him, 
and  being  for  ever  with  him,  faultless  before  his 
throne,  to  serve  him  day  and  night  in  his  temple ;  but 
on  what  do  we  rely  for  all  this  ?  If  our  expectations 
are  but  just,  truly  they  are  noble ;  but  if  groundless, 
extravagant.  Are  they,  then,  well  founded  ?  yes,  the 
testimony  of  God  is  the  rock  whereon  they  rest.  He 
has  told  us  by  the  mouth  of  his  servants  the  inspired 
writers,  all  that  is  necessary  for  us  to  know  of  the 
character,  conduct,  and  errand  of  his  Son ;  of  every 
ofi&ce  he  sustained,  and  every  end  for  which  he  came 
into  the  world.  To  all  this  he  has  added,  that  "who- 
soever believeth  on  him  shall  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life."  So  they  have  preached,  and  so  we 
have  believed.  We  have,  through  grace,  ventured 
our  everlasting  all  in  his  hands ;  nor  is  it  in  the 
hands  of  we  know  not  whom :  we  know  in  whom  we 
have  believed,  and  are  persuaded  that  he  is  able  to 
keep  that  which  we  have  committed  unto  him  against 
that  day.  For,  though  none  of  these  things  are  visi- 
ble to  our  mortal  eye,  yet,  having  evidence  that  God 
has  said  them,  we  are  satisfied.  We  would  as  readily 
trust  God's  word  as  our  own  eyes.  Thus  we  walk, 
like  Moses,  "as  seeing  Him  who  is  invisible;"  and 
thus  answer  to  that  description,  "Whom  having  not 
seen,  ye  love;  in  whom,  though  now  ye  see  him  not, 
yet  believing,  ye  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full 
of  glory." 

In  all  our  applications  to  Christ,  we  have  to  rely 
merely  upon  the  testimony  of  God.  Here  is  a  poor 
self-condemned  sinner,  who  comes  pressing  through 


ITS  HAPPY  RESULTS.  151 

the  crowd  of  discouraging  apprehensions,  that  he 
may,  so  to  speak,  touch  the  hem  of  the  Redeemer's 
garment,  and  be  made  whole.  As  he  approaches,  one 
set  of  thoughts  suggests,  How  can  such  a  sinner  hope 
for  mercy  ?  Is  it  not  doubtful  whether  there  be  effi- 
cacy enough  in  the  blood  of  Christ  itself  to  pardon 
such  heinous  crimes?  I  know  my  crimes  are  heinous 
beyond  expression,  replies  the  burdened  soul,  and  I 
should  doubtless  give  up  my  case  as  desperate,  but 
that  I  have  heard  of  him,  that  he  is  able  to  save  to 
the  uttermost  all  that  come  unto  God  by  him.  I  will 
go  therefore;  who  can  tell?  As  he  goes,  other  ob- 
jections assail  him,  questioning  whether  Christ  can  be 
willing  to  accept  of  such  an  one  ?  I  should  not  think 
it,  indeed,  says  the  poor  man ;  but  he  has  said,  "  Him 
that  Cometh  unto  me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out."  I 
know  that,  were  I  to  consult  nothing  but  my  feelings, 
and  only  to  fix  my  eyes  on  the  enormity  of  my  sin,  I 
should  utterly  despair ;  but  encouraged  by  his  word, 
I  will  go  forward;  I  will  "walk  by  faith,  not  ^y 
sight."  Oh,  I  hear  him  say,  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye 
that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you 
rest."  This,  this  is  what  I  want.  Depart  from  me, 
all  ye  that  vex  my  soul :  I  will  go  in  the  strength  of 
the  Lord  God. 

Let  us  never  forget,  that  whatever  encourage- 
ments are  afforded  us,  they  are  altogether  of  grace, 
and  through  a  Mediator.  There  is  no  room  for  phar- 
isaical  pride ;  and  if  such  a  spirit  be  at  the  root  of  our 
labors,  it  will  prove  "  as  rottenness,  and  the  blossom 
shall  go  up  as  dust." 


152  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

IMPORTANCE  OF  CORRECT  VIEWS  OF  THE  ATONE- 
MENT—WAY IN  WHICH  IT  MUST  BE  RECEIVED- 
CONSEQUENCES  OF  ITS  REJECTION. 

Section  I.  Correct  views  of  the  subject.  If 
Christianity  had  not  been  comprehended  in  the  doc- 
trine of  the  atonement,  the  apostle,  who  shunned  not 
to  declare  the  whole  counsel  of  God,  could  not  have 
determined  to  know  nothing  else  in  his  ministry. 
The  whole  of  the  Christian  system  appears  to  be  pre- 
supposed hy  it,  included  in  it,  or  to  arise  from  it;  there- 
fore the  whole  system  of  truth  should  be  regarded 
with  a  view  to  this  principle.  In  its  favor  the  fol- 
lowing things  may  be  alleged : 

■  1.  It  accords  with  truth.  All  things  are  said  to 
have  been  created  not  only  by  Christ,  but  for  him. 
All  things  in  creation,  therefore,  are  rendered  sub- 
servient to  his  glory  as  Redeemer;  and  being  thus 
connected,  they  require  to  be  viewed  so,  in  order  to 
be  seen  with  advantage. 

By  viewing  all  divine  truths  and  duties  as  related 
to  one  great  object,  as  so  many  lines  meeting  in  a 
centre,  a  character  of  unity  is  imparted  to  the  subject 
which  it  would  not  otherwise  possess,  and  which 
seems  properly  to  belong  to  the  idea  of  a  system. 
A  system,  if  I  understand  it,  is  a  whole^  composed  of  a 
number  of  parts  so  combined^and  arranged  as  to  show 


IMPORTANCE   OF  JUST  VIEWS.  153 

their  proper  connections  and  dependencies,  and  to  ex- 
hibit every  truth  and  every  duty  to  the  best  advan- 
tage. The  unity  of  a  number  in  one  great  object,  and 
so  forming  a  whole,  gives  an  interest  to  the  subject 
which  it  would  not  otherwise  possess.  It  is  interest- 
ing, no  doubt,  to  view  the  works  of  nature  as  revolv- 
ing round  the  sun  as  their  centre ;  but  to  view  nature 
and  providence  as  centering  in  the  glory  of  the  Re- 
deemer, is  much  more  interesting. 

3.  The  object  in  which  all  the  parts  of  the  system 
are  united  being  Christ,  must  tend  to  shed  a  sweet 
savor  on  the  whole.  We  have  often  heard  the  epi- 
thet dry  applied  to  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  espe- 
cially when  systematically  treated;  but  this  must 
have  arisen  either  from  the  faults  or  defects  of  the 
system,  or  from  the  uninteresting  manner  of  treating 
it,  or  from  a  defect  in  the  hearer  or  reader.  The 
doctrine  of  the  gospel,  if  imparted  in  its  genuine  sim- 
plicity, and  received  in  faith  and  love,  drops  as  the 
rain,  and  distils  as  the  dew  upon  the  tender  herb.  I 
may  not  be  able  thus  to  impart  it ;  but  whether  I  do  or 
not,  it  may  be  done ;  and  so  far  as  I  or  any  other  may 
fail,  let  the  fault  be  imputed  to  us,  and  not  to  the 
doctrine  of  God  our  Saviour. 

4.  There  is  a  singular  advantage  attending  the 
study  of  other  truths  through  this  medium.  We  might 
know  something  of  God  and  of  ourselves  through  the 
medium  of  the  divine  law;  and  it  is  necessary  for 
some  purposes  to  understand  this  subject  as  distinct 
from  the  gospel.  But  a  sense  of  the  holiness  and  jus- 
tice of  God,  contrasted  with  our  depravity  and  guilt, 
might  be  more  than  we  could  bear.     To  view  these 

7* 


154  ATONEMENT  OF  CHUIST. 

great  subjects,  on  the  other  hand,  through  the  cross  of 
Christ,  is  to  view  the  malady  through  the  medium  of 
the  remedy,  and  so  never  to  want  an  antidote  for 
despair. 

With  the  idea  of  all  divine  truth  bearing  an  inti- 
mate relation  to  Christ,  agrees  that  notable  phrase  in 
Eph.  4  :  21,  "  The  truth  as  in  Jesus."  To  believe  the 
truth  concerning  Jesus,  is  to  believe  the  whole  doc- 
trine of  the  Scriptures.  Hence  it  is,  that  in  all  the 
brief  summaries  of  Christian  doctrine,  the  person  and 
work  of  Christ  are  prominent.  Such  are  the  follow- 
ing :  "  Brethren,  I  declare  unto  you  the  gospel  which 
I  preached  unto  you,  which  also  ye  have  received, 
and  wherein  ye  stand ;  by  which  also  ye  are  saved,  if 
ye  keep  in  memory  what  I  preached  unto  you,  unless 
ye  have  believed  in  vain.  For  I  delivered  unto  you, 
first  of  all  that  which  I  also  received,  how  that  Christ 
died  for  our  sins  according  to  the  Scriptures."  "Great 
is  the  mystery  of  godliness  :  God  was  manifest  in  the 
flesh,  justified  in  the  Spirit,  seen  of  angels,  preached 
unto  the  Gentiles,  believed  on  in  the  world,  received 
up  into  glory."  "  This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy 
of  all  acceptation,  that  Jesus  Christ  came  into  the 
world  to  save  sinners  ;  of  whom  I  am  chief."  "  This  is 
the  record,  that  God  hath  given  unto  us  eternal  life, 
and  this  life  is  in  his  Son."  "  He  that  believeth  that 
Jesus  is  the  Christ,  is  born  of  God."  "  Who  is  he  that 
overcometh  the  world,  but  he  that  believeth  that 
Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God?"  Fully  aware  that  this 
golden  link  would  draw  along  with  it  the  whole 
chain  of  evangelical  truth,  the  sacred  writers  seem 
careful  for  nothing  in  comparison  with  it.    It  is  on  this 


IMPORTANCE  OF  JUST  VIEWS.  155 

ground  that  faith  in  Christ  is  represented  as  essential 
to  spiritual  life :  see  John  6  :  53-56,  "  Jesus  said  unto 
them,  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you.  Except  ye  eat 
the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  man,  and  drink  his  blood,  ye 
have  no  life  in  you.  Whoso  eateth  my  flesh,  and 
drinketh  my  blood,  hath  eternal  life ;  and  I  will  raise 
him  up  at  the  last  day.  For  my  flesh  is  meat  indeed, 
and  my  blood  is  drink  indeed.  He  that  eateth  my 
flesh,  and  drinketh  my  blood,  dwelleth  in  me,  and  I  in 
him.'^  We  may  be  Christians  by  education,  may  be 
well  versed  in  Christianity  as  a  science,  may  be  able 
to  converse  and  preach  and  write  in  defence  of  it; 
but  if  Christ  crucified  be  not  that  to  us  which  food  is 
to  the  hungry,  and  drink  to  the  thirsty,  we  are  dead 
while  we  live.  It  is  on  this  ground  that  error  con- 
cerning the  person  and  work  of  Christ  is  of  such  im- 
portance as  frequently  to  become  spiritual  death  to 
a  man.  We  may  err  on  other  subjects  and  survive, 
though  it  be  in  a  maimed  state ;  but  to  err  in  this,  is 
to  contract  a  disease  in  the  vitals,  the  ordinary  effect 
of  which  is  death.  When  Peter  confessed  him  to  be 
the  Son  of  the  living  God,  Jesus  answered,  "  Upon 
this  rock  will  I  build  my  church,  and  the  gates  of 
hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it."  Upon  this  prin- 
ciple, as  a  foundation,  Christianity  rests;  and  it  is 
remarkable,  that  to  this  day  a  deviation  concerning 
the  person  and  work  of  Christ  is  followed  by  a  dere- 
liction of  almost  every  other  evangelical  doctrine,  and 
of  the  spirit  of  Christianity.  How  should  it  be  other- 
wise? If  the  foundation  be  removed,  the  building 
must  fall. 

What  is  it  that  is  denominated  the  great  mys- 


156  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

tery  of  godliness?  Is  it  not  that  "  God  was  manifest 
in  the  flesh,  justified  in  the  Spirit,  seen  of  angels, 
preached  unto  the  Gentiles,  believed  on  in  the  world, 
received  up  into  glory?''  It  is  this  that  the  apostle 
John  introduces  at  the  beginning  of  his  gospel  under 
the  name  of  "  the  Word :''  "  The  Word  was  with  God, 
and  was  God ;"  by  whom  all  things  were  made,  and 
who  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us.  It  is  this 
upon  which  he  dwells  in  the  introduction  of  his  first 
epistle  :  "That  which  was  from  the  beginning,  which 
we  have  heard,  which  we  have  seen  with  our  eyes, 
which  we  have  looked  upon,  and  our  hands  have 
handled,  of  the  Word  of  life ;  for  the  life  was  mani- 
fested, and  we  have  seen  it,  and  bear  witness,  and 
show  unto  you  that  eternal  life,  which  was  with  the 
Father,  and  was  manifested  unto  us :  that  which  we 
have  seen  and  heard  declare  we  unto  you,  that  ye 
also  may  have  fellowship  with  us ;  and  truly  our  fel- 
lowship is  with  the  Father,  and  with  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ."  Christ  is  here  described,  1.  As  to  what  he 
was  in  his  preincarnate  state,  namely,  as  that  which 
was  from  the  beginning,  the  Word  of  life,  and  that 
eternal  life  which  was  with  the  Father.  2.  As  to 
what  he  became  by  his  incarnation  :  he  was  so  mani- 
fested that  his  disciples  could  see  him,  and  look  on 
him,  and  handle  him ;  and  thus  be  qualified  to  bear 
witness  of  him,  and  to  show  unto  others  that  eternal 
life  that  was  with  the  Father.  3.  As  having  opened 
a  way  in  which  those  who  believed  in  him  were  ad- 
mitted to  fellowship  with  God,  and  with  him,  and 
were  commissioned  to  invite  others  to  partake  with 
them.    I  have  long  considered  this  passage  as  a  de- 


IMPORTANCE  OF  JUST  VIEWS.  157 

cisive  proof  of  the  divinity  of  Christ,  and  as  a  sum- 
mary of  the  gospel. 

Consider  well  the  following  passages  of  Scripture, 
as  expressing  the  sum  of  the  glorious  gospel  of  the 
blessed  God :  "  God  so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave 
his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in 
him  should  not  perish,  but  have  eternal  life.  This  is 
a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that 
Jesus  Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners ;  of 
whom  I  am  chief.  I  declare  unto  you  the  gospel 
which  I  preached  unto  you,  which  also  ye  have  re- 
ceived, and  wherein  ye  stand,  unless  ye  have  believed 
in  vain,  how  that  Christ  died  for  our  sins  according 
to  the  Scriptures ;  and  that  he  was  buried,  and  that 
he  rose  again  the  third  day,  according  to  the  Scrip- 
tures. The  Jews  require  a  sign,  and  the  Greeks  seek 
after  wisdom  ;  but  we  preach  Christ  crucified.  I  de- 
termined not  to  know  any  thing  among  you,  save 
Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified.  God  was  in  Christ, 
reconciling  the  world  unto  himself,  not  imputing  their 
trespasses  unto  them;  and  hath  committed  unto  us 
the  word  of  reconciliation.  Now  then  we  are  am- 
bassadors for  Christ,  as  though  God  did  beseech  you 
by  us :  we  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  recon- 
ciled to  God.  If  we  confess  our  sins,  he  is  faithful 
and  just  to  forgive  us  our .  sins,  and  to  cleanse  us 
from  all  unrighteousness.  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ 
his  Son  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin.  By  him  all  that 
believe  are  justified  from  all  things,  from  which  they 
could  not  be  justified  by  the  law  of  Moses.  Come 
unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I 


158  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

will  give  you  rest.     Him  that  cometli  unto  me,  I  will 
in  no  wise  cast  out." 

This,  dear  reader,  was  the  all-efficacious  doctrine 
by  which  the  pressure  of  guilt  was  removed  from 
thousands  in  the  times  of  the  apostles,  and  has  been 
removed  from  millions  in  succeeding  ages.  When  a 
perishing  sinner  inquired,  "What  must  I  do  to  be 
saved?"  the  answer  was  at  hand,  "Believe  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved."  This 
was  the  plenteous  redemption  which  even  Old  Testa- 
ment sinners  embraced  by  faith.  These  were  the 
water,  the  wine,  and  the  milk,  which  they  were  freely 
invited  to  buy,  "without  money,  and  without  price." 
This  is  the  wedding  supper  which  the  Lord  hath  pre- 
pared, and  concerning  which  he  hath  declared,  "  All 
things  are  ready ;  come  ye  to  the  marriage." 

We  sinners  in  this  world  are  as  lepers  in  a  "  sev- 
eral house."  The  great  High-priest  from  above  has 
condescended,  and  still  condescends  to  visit  us. 
Happy  will  it  be  for  us  if  during  his  visitations  we 
are  purified  from  our  uncleanness.  If  so,  we  shall  be 
reunited  to  the  society  of  the  blessed ;  but  if  other- 
wise, if  we  die  in  impenitence  and  unbelief,  what  is 
said  of  the  confiriiied  leper  will  be  true  of  us — without 
the  camp  must  our  habitation  be. 

We  thus  see  that  if  the  doctrine  of  atonement  be 
viewed  in  the  connections  in  which  it  stands  in  the 
sacred  Scriptures,  it  is  the  lifeblood  of  the  gospel 
system.  Consider  it  as  a  method  devised  by  the 
infinite  wisdom  of  God,  by  which  he  might  honor  his 


IMPORTANCE  OF  JUST  VIEWS.  159 

own  name  by  dispensing  mercy  to  the  unworthy  in  a 
way  consistent  with  righteousness,  and  we  shall  be 
furnished  with  considerations  at  once  the  most  humil- 
iating and  transporting  that  were  ever  presented  to 
^  a  creature's  mind. 

But  there  are  ways  of  viewing  this  doctrine  which 
will  render  it  void,  and  even  worse  than  void.  If, 
for  instance,  instead  of  connecting  it  with  the  divinity 
of  Christ,  we  ascribe  its  efficacy  to  divine  appoint- 
ment, the  name  may  remain,  but  that  will  be  all.  On 
•  this  principle  it  was  possible  that  the  blood  of  bulls 
and  of  goats  should  have  taken  away  sin,  and  that 
the  cup  should  have  passed  away  from  the  Saviour 
without  his  drinking  it.  As  there  would  on  this  prin- 
ciple be  no  necessity  for  the  death  of  Christ,  so  nei- 
ther could  there  be  any  great  love  displayed  by  it; 
and  as  to  its  constraining  influence,  we  need  not  look 
for  it. 

Or  if  the  atonement  be  considered  as  a  reparation 
to  man  for  the  injury  done  him  by  his  being  con- 
nected with  his  first  parents,  it  is  rendered  void. 
Whatever  evil  we  derive  from  our  first  parents,  while 
we  ourselves  choose  it,  we  are  no  more  injured  than 
if  we  derived  it  from  our  immediate  parents ;  and  it 
will  no  more  bear  to  be  pleaded  at  the  last  judgment, 
than  it  will  bear  to  be  alleged  by  a  thief  at  an  earthly 
tribunal,  that  his  father  had  been  a  thief  before  him. 
To  argue  therefore,  as  some  have  done,  that  if  Christ 
had  not  come  into  the  world  and  given  us  grace,  so 
as  to  remove  the  inability  for  doing  good  under  which 
we  lay  as  the  descendants  of  Adam,  we  should  not 
have  been  blameworthy  for  not  doing  it,  is  to  make 


160  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

grace  no  more  grace,  and  the  atonement  a  satisfaction 
to  man  rather  than  to  God.  If  man  would  not  have 
been  blameworthy  without  the  gift  of  Christ  and  a 
provision  of  grace,  it  would  seem  a  pity  that  both 
had  not  been  withheld,  and  that  we  had  not  been  left 
to  the  justice  of  our  Creator,  who  surely  might  be 
trusted  not  to  punish  for  that  in  which  we  were  not 
in  fault. 

Or  if  the  doctrine  of  atonement  lead  us  to  enter- 
tain degrading  notions  of  the  law  of  God,  or  to  plead 
an  exemption  from  its  preceptive  authority,  we  may 
be  sure  it  is  not  the  scripture  doctrine  of  reconcilia- 
tion. Atonement  has  respect  to  justice,  and  justice  to 
the  law,  or  the  revealed  will  of  the  sovereign,  which 
has  been  violated,  and  its  very  design  is  to  repair  its 
honor.  If  the  law  which  has  been  transgressed  were 
unjust,  instead  of  an  atonement  being  required  for  the 
breach  of  it,  it  ougKt  to  have  been  repealed,  and  the 
lawgiver  have  taken  upon  himself  the  disgrace  of  hav- 
ing enacted  it.  Every  instance  of  punishment  among 
men  is  a  sort  of  atonement  to  the  justice  of  the  coun- 
try, the  design  of  which  is  to  restore  the  authority  of 
good  government,  which  transgression  has  impaired. 
But  if  the  law  itself  is  bad,  or  the  penalty  too  severe, 
every  sacrifice  made  to  it  must  be  an  instance  of  cru- 
elty. And  should  a  prince  of  the  blood  royal,  in  com- 
passion to  the  offenders,  offer  to  suffer  in  their  stead, 
for  the  purpose  of  atonement,  whatever  love  it  might 
discover  on  his  part,  it  were  still  greater  cruelty  to 
accept  the  offer,  even  though  he  might  survive  his 
sufferings.  The  public  voice  would  be.  There  is  no 
need  of  any  atonement ;  it  will  do  no  honor,  but  dis- 


IMPORTANCE  OF  JUST  VIEWS.  161 

honor,  to  the  legislature;  and  to  call  the  liberation 
of  the  convicts  an  act  of  grace,  is  to  add  insult  to 
injury.  The  law  ought  not  to  have  been  enacted, 
and  now  it  is  enacted,  ought  immediately  to  be  re- 
pealed. It  is  easy  to  see  from  hence,  that  in  propor- 
tion as  the  law  is  depreciated  the  gospel  is  under- 
mined, and  both  grace  and  atonement  rendered  void. 
It  is  the  law  as  abused,  or  as  turned  into  a  way  of  life 
in  opposition  to  the  gospel,  for  which  it  was  never 
given  to  a  fallen  creature,  that  the  sacred  Scriptures 
depreciate  it;  and  not  as  the  revealed  will  of  God, 
the  immutable  standard  of  right  and  wrong.  In  this 
view  the  apostles  delighted  in  it;  and  if  we  are  Chris- 
tians we  shall  delight  in  it  too,  and  shall  not  object  to 
be  under  it  as  a  rule  of  duty,  for  no  man  objects  to 
be  governed  by  laws  which  he  loves. 

We  may  form  some  idea  of  the  manner  in  which 
the  gospel  ought  to  be  received,  from  its  being  repre- 
sented as  an  embassy.  "We  are  ambassadors  for 
Christ,"  saith  the  apostle,  "as  though  God  did  be- 
seech you  by  us :  we  pray  you,  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye 
reconciled  to  God."  The  object  of  an  embassy,  in  all 
cases,  is  peace.  Ambassadors  are  sometimes  employed 
between  friendly  powers  for  the  adjustment  of  their 
affairs,  but  the  allusion  in  this  case  is  manifestly  to  a 
righteous  prince,  who  should  condescend  to  speak 
peaceably  to  his  rebellious  subjects,  and  as  it  were 
to  entreat  them  for  their  own  sakes  to  be  reconciled. 
The  language  of  the  apostle  supposes  that  the  world 
is  engaged  in  an  unnatural  and  unprovoked  rebellion 
against  its  Maker ;  that  it  is  in  his  power  utterly  to 


162  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

destroy  sinners;  that  if  he  were  to  deal  with  them 
according  to  their  deserts,  this  must  be  their  portion ; 
but  that  through  the  mediation  of  his  Son,  he  had  as 
it  were  suspended  hostilities,  had  sent  his  servants 
with  words  of  peace,  and  commissioned  them  to  per- 
suade, to  entreat,  and  even  to  beseech  them  to  be 
reconciled.  But  reconciliation  to  God  includes  every 
thing  that  belongs  to  true  conversion.  It  is  the  oppo- 
site of  a  state  of  alienation  and  enmity  to  him.  Col. 
1 :  21.  It  includes  a  justification  of  his  government, 
a  condemnation  of  their  own  unprovoked  rebellion 
against  him,  and  a  thankful  reception  of  the  message 
of  peace,  which  is  the  same  for  substance  as  to  repent 
and  helkve  the  gospel. 

It  is  not  your  believing  from  the  tradition  of  your 
fathers  that  there  was  a  person  called  Jesus  Christ, 
who  came  into  the  world  about  eighteen  hundred  years 
ago,  and  who  is  in  some  way  or  other  the  Saviour  of 
sinners,  which  constitutes  saving  faith.  The  gospel 
is  a  divine  system,  the  wisdom  of  God  in  a  mystery. 
It  implies  a  number  of  important  truths  to  which  the 
corrupt  heart  of  man  is  naturally  averse,  and  cannot 
properly  be  said  to  be  believed  while  they  are  rejected 
or  overlooked.  Such  are  the  equity  and  glory  of  the 
divine  law,  and  the  guilty,  lost,  and  perishing  condi- 
tion of  those  who  have  transgressed  it.  More  particu- 
larly, that  God  is  worthy  of  being  loved  with  all  the 
heart,  however  depraved  that  heart  may  be ;  that  our 
transgressions  against  him  have  been  withmit  cause; 
that  we  are  justly  deserving  of  his  eternal  displeasure ; 
that  there  is  no  help  in  us,  or  hope  of  recovery  by  our 


IMPORTANCE  OF  JUST  VIEWS.  163 

own  efforts ;  finally,  that  we  are  utterly  unworthy  of 
mercy,  and  must  be  saved,  if  at  all,  by  mere  grace. 
These  truths  are  plainly  implied  in  the  doctrine  of 
atonement  and  of  a  free  salvation ;  and  without  ad- 
mitting them,  it  is  impossible  wer  should  admit  the 
other.  While  we  conceive  of  ourselves  as  injured 
creatures,  and  of  the  gift  of  Christ  and  of  salvation 
by  him  as  a  recompense  for  the  injury,  it  is  no  wonder 
we  should  imagine  it  to  be  confined  to  the  compar- 
atively worthy,  or  the  least  criminal,  and  so  begin  to 
despair  as  we  perceive  the  magnitude  of  our  guilt. 
Or  if  in  words  we  disavow  all  merit,  and  confess  our- 
selves to  be  in  a  helpless  and  hopeless  condition,  yet 
we  shall  view  it  as  our  misfortune  rather  than  our  sin, 
and  ourselves  as  more  deserving  of  pity  than  punish- 
ment. And  while  this  is  the  case,  our  supposed  love 
to  the  Saviour  is  certain  to  operate  at  the  expense  of 
the  Lawgiver. 

To  come  to  Jesus  as  a  sinner  ready  to  perish,  justi- 
fying God  and  condemning  self,  suing  for  mercy  as 
utterly  unworthy,  as  one  of  the  chief  of  sinners,  plead- 
ing mercy  merely  for  the  sake  of  the  atonement,  is  a 
hard  lesson  for  a  self-righteous  heart  to  learn.  The 
shiftings  of  pride  in  such  cases  are  fitly  expressed  by 
the  sinner's  "going  about"  to  establish  his  own  right- 
eousness, and  not  submitting  to  "  the  righteousness  of 
God."  Like  the  priests  of  Dagon,  he  will  set  up  his 
idol  as  long  as  he  can  possibly  make  it  stand.  But  if 
ever  he  obtain  mercy,  he  must  desist.  There  is  no 
rest  for  the  soul  but  in  coming  to  Jesus.  And  if  he 
be  once  brought  to  this,  all  his  self-righteous  strivings, 


164  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

and  the  hopes  which  he  built  upon  them,  with  all 
his  hard  thoughts  of  God  for  requiring  what  in  his 
then  present  state  of  mind  he  could  not  comply  with, 
will  appear  in  their  true  light,  the  odious  workings  of 
a  deceitful  and  dedeived  heart. 

Do  any  inquire  what  they  must  do  that  they  may 
work  the  works  of  God?  The  answer  is,  "This  is 
the  work  of  God,  that  ye  believe  in  Him  whom  he 
hath  sent."  This  is  the  first  and  chief  concern,  with- 
out which  all  others  will  be  of  no  account.  While 
you  either  openly  reject  Christianity,  or  imbibe  an- 
other gospel  which  is  not  the  gospel  of  Christ,  the 
curse  of  the  Almighty  is  upon  your  head,  and  all  your 
works  are  no  other  than  "  sowing  to  the  flesh."  Come 
•off  without  further  delay;  come  off  from  that  fatal 
ground.  Renounce  thy  self-dependences,  and  submit 
to  the  righteousness  of  God ;  then  every  thing  will  be 
in  its  proper  place.  The  curse  shall  no  longer  be 
upon  thee,  nor  upon  any  thing  which  thou  doest.  The 
Lord  will  rejoice  over  thee  to  do  thee  good.  Thou 
mayest  "  eat  thy  bread  with  joy,  arid  drink  thy  wine 
with  a  merry  heart ;  for  God  now  accepteth  thy 
works." 

Section  II.  Illustration  of  confidence  in 
Christ  in  the  Syrophenician  woman.  We  have  a 
fine  illustration  of  application  to  Christ  and  confi- 
dence in  him,  in  the  conduct  of  the  Syrophenician 
woman,  as  recorded  in  the  fifteenth  chapter  of  the 
gospel  by  Matthew.  Let  us  remark  the  repeated  appli- 
cationSj  the  repeated  repulses,  and  the  ultimate  success  which 


UiLUSTRATIONS  OF  FAITH.  165 

crowned  the  whole.  Here  were  no  fewer  than  four  ap- 
plications, three  of  which  were  made  by  the  woman 
herself,  and  one  by  the  disciples  on  her  behalf.  Three 
out  of  the  four  failed,  but  the  fourth  succeeded.  Let 
us  examine  them,  and  the  success  they  met  with,  dis- 
tinctly. 

The^r^^  was  made  by  the  woman,  and  is  described 
as  follows :  "  She  cried  unto  him,  saying,  Have  mercy 
on  me,  0  Lord,  thou  Son  of  David ;  my  daughter  is 
grievously  vexed  with  a  devil."  We  might  remark 
the  brevity,  the  fulness,  and  the  earnestness  of  this 
petition ;  but  there  is  one  thing  which  our  Lord  him- 
self afterwards  noticed,  and  which  therefore  is  partic- 
ularly deserving  of  our  attention ;  it  was  the  prayer 
of  faith.  She  believed  and  confessed  him  to  be  the 
Messiah.  Her  addressing  him  under  the  character  of 
"  Lord,"  and  as  "  the  Son  of  David,"  amounted  to  this. 
It  was  a  principle  universally  acknowledged  among 
the  Jews,  that  the  Lord,  or  King  Messiah,  should  be 
of  the  seed  of  David.  To  address  him  therefore  under 
this  character,  was  confessing  him  to  be  the  Christ. 
This  was  the  appellation  under  which  he  was  more 
than  once  invoked  by  certain  blind  men,  and  in  every 
instance  the  same  idea  was  meant  to  be  conveyed. 
These  poor  people  did  not  address  our  Saviour  in  a 
way  of  unmeaning  compliment ;  they  understood  that 
the  Messiah,  "the  Son  of  David,"  was  to  be  distin- 
guished by  the  exercise  of  mercy ;  hence  they  continu- 
ally associated  these  ideas.  "Have  mercy  on  me,  0 
Lord,  thou  Son  of  David."  "  Jesus,  thou  Son  of  David, 
have  mercy  on  us."  And  this  is  the  very  character 
given  to  the  Messiah  in  the  Old  Testament,  especially 


166  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

in  the  seventy-second  Psalm :  "  He  sliall  deliver  the 
needy  when  he  crieth;  the  poor  also,  and  him  that 
hath  no  helper."  Thus  they  had  heard,  thns  they 
believed,  and  thus  their  faith  wrought  in  a  way  of 
effectual  prayer. 

But  whence  had  this  woman,  an  alien  from  the 
commonwealth  of  Israel,  a  stranger  to  the  covenants 
of  promise,  this  wisdom?  Providence  had  placed  her 
on  the  borders  of  the  Holy  Land,  and  she  appears  to 
have  profited  by  it.  The  true  religion  contained  in 
the  oracles  of  God  had  its  influence  not  only  on  Israel, 
but  on  many  individuals  in  the  neighboring  nations. 
It  was  foretold  that  they  who  dwelt  under  his  shad- 
ow should  return ;  and  here  we  see  it  accomplished. 
Probably  this  poor  Canaanite  had  often  gone  into  the 
Jewish  synagogue  to  hear  the  reading  of  the  law  and 
the  prophets ;  and  while  many  of  those  who  read  them 
gained  only  a  superficial  acquaintance  with  them, 
she  understood  them  to  purpose.  One  would  almost 
think  she  must  lately  have  heard  the  seventy-second 
Psalm  read  at  one  of  these  assemblies,  and  have  made 
up  her  petition  out  of  the  passage  forecited.  "  He 
shall  deliver  the  needy  when  he  crieth ;  the  poor  also, 
and  him  that  hath  no  helper;"  then  why  not  me? 
I  will  go,  and  turn  this  prophecy  into  a  prayer: 
"Have  mercy  upon  me,  0  Lord,  thou  Son  of  David." 
It  is  good  to  have  our  residence  near  to  the  means  of 
grace,  and  to  have  a  heart  to  make  use  of  them.  It 
is  good  to  grow  upon  the  banks  of  this  river  of  the 
water  of  life.  It  is  pleasant  also  to  think  of  the  good 
effects  of  the  true  religion  among  the  posterity  of 
Abraham.     It  is  thus  we  see  the  fulfilment  of  the 


ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  FAITH.  167 

promise  to  that  faithful  man,  "I  will  bless  thee,  and 
thou  shalt  be  a  blessing." 

But  while  these  things  afford  pleasure  to  us,  they 
must,  methinks,  have  been  very  provoking  to  the 
Jews ;  and  happy  had  it  been  for  them  if  they  had 
been  provoked  to  a  godly  jealousy.  Many  among 
them  were  far  behind  these  strangers  in  knowledge 
and  in  faith,  though  they  enjoyed  very  superior  ad- 
vantages. The  Saviour  was  continually  among  them, 
crying,  and  calling  at  their  gates,  and  at  the  entering 
in  of  their  cities,  yet  they  generally  disregarded 
him ;  whereas,  in  this  case,  he  only  took  an  occasional 
journey,  and  that  in  secret,  for  when  he  entered  into 
a  house,  "  he  would  have  no  man  know  it ;"  yet  here 
this  poor  woman  found  him  out,  and  presented  her 
supplication.  How  true  is  that  saying  of  our  Lord, 
"  The  last  shall  be  first,  and  the  first  last ;"  and  how 
often  do  we  still  see  persons  of  inferior  advantages 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God  before  others  who 
have  possessed  the  greatest  abundance  of  means. 

But  what  treatment  did  she  receive  from  our  Sav- 
iour on  this  her  first  application?  "He  answered 
her  not  a  word."  Who  would  have  expected  this  ? 
Does  it  accord  with  his  usual  conduct?  In  what  in- 
stance had  he  been  known  to  refuse  such  an  applica- 
tion? It  was  very  mysterious,  and  very  discourag- 
ing. Is  his  ear  heavy,  then,  that  it  cannot  hear?  or 
his  arm  shortened,  that  it  cannot  save?  "Answered 
her  not  a  word!"  Who  could  understand  this  as  any 
other  than  a  repulse  ?  If  the  faith  of  the  petitioner 
had  been  weak,  she  might  have  concluded  that  he 
would  not  answer  her  because  he  could  not  help  her. 


168  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

If  her  heart  had  been  cold,  she  might  have  gone 
away,  as  many  do  after  having  said  their  prayers,  con- 
tented without  the  Messing.  If  her  spirit  had  been 
haughty,  she  must  and  would  have  resented  it,  and 
have  asked  no  more.  In  short,  had  she  been  any 
thing  but  what  she  was — great  in  faith,  in  love,  and 
in  humility — she  would  have  turned  away.  And  here 
we  may  see  the  wisdom  of  our  Saviour's  conduct; 
had  he  immediately  granted  her  request,  we  had  seen 
little  or  nothing  of  the  exercise  of  these  graces.  But 
let  us  proceed. 

Here  is  a  second  application  made  on  her  behalf, 
and  this  is  by  the  disciples ;  they  "  came  and  besought 
him  to  send  her  away."  I  hope  they  meant  that  he 
would  grant  her  petition.  One  might  have  expected 
something  considerable  from  the  intercession  of  the 
twelve  apostles.  Jesus  had  consented,  to  go  and  heal 
the  centurion's  servant  at  the  request  of  the  Jewish 
elders ;  and  surely  his  own  disciples  must  have  an  in- 
terest with  him  equal  to  theirs.  If  the  poor  woman 
knew  of  their  becoming  her  advocates,  it  is  natural  to 
suppose  her  expectations  must  have  been  raised :  and 
this  it  is  likely  she  did ;  for  while  they  were  speak- 
ing, she  seems  to  have  held  her  peace.  Neither  need 
they  have  been  at  a  loss  for  a  precedent ;  for  though 
she  was  a  heathen,  yet  they  had  lately  witnessed  his 
kind  attention  to  a  Roman  centurion ;  and  had  they 
pleaded  this,  he  might  have  shown  mercy  at  their  re- 
quest. But  to  what  does  their  intercession  amount? 
Alas,  it  is  mean  and  pitiful ;  it  does  not  appear  to 
have  a  spice  of  benevolence  in  it,  but  to  have  been 
merely  the  effect  of  self-love :  "  Send  her  away,"  said 


ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  FAITH.  169 

they,  "  for  she  crieth  after  us."  0  disciples,  and  does 
the  voice  of  prayer  trouble  you?  How  little  at  pres- 
ent do  you  resemble  your  Master  I  We  never  read  of 
his  being  troubled  with  the  cry  of  the  poor  and  needy. 
And  this  is  all  you  have  to  urge,  is  it?  Your  charity 
amounts  to  just  so  much  as  that  of  some  wealthy  per- 
sons, who  give  a  poor  man  a  penny,  not  out  of  com- 
passion, but  in  order  to  get  rid  of  him. 

What  is  the  answer  to  this  miserable  petition? 
Our  Lord  takes  no  notice  of  the  mercenary  nature  of 
the  plea;  and  this  was  like  himself:  amidst  the  nu- 
merous faults  of  his  disciples,  he  often  exercised  a 
dignified  forbearance  towards  them.  But  what  an- 
swer did  he  make?  "I  am  not  sent  but  unto  the  lost 
sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel."  It  was  true  that  his 
commission  was  especially  directed  to  Israel;  and 
previously  to  his  resurrection,  he  even  forbade  his 
disciples  to  go  "  in  the  way  of  the  Gentiles  :"  nor  is  it 
any  wonder  that  he  should  avail  himself  of  this  gen- 
eral truth  still  to  withhold  his  favor,  rather  than 
grant  it  at  such  a  request  as  this.  The  motive  which 
they  had  urged  was  not  likely  to  work  upon  him. 

But  think  how  it  must  affect  the  poor  petitioner. . 
Silence  was  discouraging,  but  this  must  have  been 
more  so.  That  might  be  imputed  to  other  causes: 
she  might  suppose  he  was  considering  of  her  request ; 
and  though  he  had  said  nothing  in  her  favor,  yet  he 
had  said  nothing  against  her :  this,  however,  is  not 
only  giving  her  a  denial,  but  giving  the  reason  of  it ; 
which  would  seem  to  render  it  irrevocable.  To  an 
eye  of  sense,  it  would  now  seem  to  be  a  lost  case.  It 
is  not  so,  however,  to  an  eye  of  faith. 


170  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

Let  US  proceed  to  the  third  application.  The  dis- 
ciples had  been  poor  advocates.  Make  way  for  her, 
and  let  her  plead  her  own  cause  ;  she  can  do  it  best 
It  is  not  one,  nor  two  repulses,  that  will  silence  the 
prayer  of  faith ;  nor  will  aught  else  so  long  as  Jesus 
lives,  and  the  invitations  and  promises  of  his  word 
continue  unrevoked.  It  was  written,  "He  shall  de- 
liver the  needy  when  he  crieth ;  the  poor  also,  and  him 
that  hath  no  helper ;"  and  the  efficacy  of  this  declara- 
tion must  be  tried  again.  "  Then  came  she  and  wor- 
shipped him,  saying,  Lord,  help  me!" 

Observe,  she  prefaces  her  petition  with  an  act  of 
worship.  She  had  before  acknowledged  him  as  Da- 
vid's Son ;  now  she  approaches  Him  as  his  Lord. 
Prostrate  at  his  feet,  she  adores  him,  and  renews  her 
supplication.  It  is  short,  yet  very  full.  It  has  only 
three  words,  but  more  than  three  ideas,  and  these  full 
of  importance.  She  here,  in  effect,  tells  him  that  her 
case  is  urgent ;  that  she  is  truly  helpless ;  that  no 
help  is  to  be  expected  from  any  other  quarter;  that 
she  is  persuaded  of  his  being  able  to  save  to  the  ut- 
termost ;  and  that  it  belongs  to  his  character  as  Mes- 
siah, to  help  those  who  have  no  helper.  Though  a 
Canaanite,  assuredly  she  possesses  the  spirit  of  an 
Israelite :  "  I  will  not  let  thee  go,  except  thou  bless 
me." 

If  there  be  such  a  thing  as  holy  violence,  or  tak- 
ing the  kingdom  of  heaven,  as  it  were,  by  force,  surely 
this  is  it;  and  knowing  the  character  of  Christ,  we 
should  have  concluded  that  this  petition  must  be  suc- 
cessful. But  "Jesus  answered  and  said.  It  is  not 
meet  to  take  the  children's  bread,  and  to  cast  it  to 


ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  FAITH.  171 

dogs."  What  imperfect  judges  are  we  of  times  and 
seasons.  Just  now  we  should  have  supposed  her  cause 
was  gained,  and  yet  it  was  not  so;  and  now  we 
should  have  been  ready  enough  to  conclude  it  was 
lost,  and  yet  it  is  not  so.  Let  us  learn  to  wait -pa- 
tiently for  the  Lord,  and  neither  conclude,  when  we 
enjoy  great  fervor  and  freedom  in  our  approaches  to 
him,  that  our  prayers  must  be  answered  immediately, 
or  not  at  all ;  nor  when  thrown  back  into  darkness 
and  discouragement,  that  now  there  is  no  hope.  Had 
this  poor  woman  rested  her  expectation  on  her  own 
feelings,  or  on  any  thing  short  of  the  Lord's  own  word, 
she  had  fainted  in  this  trying  moment.  What  a 
crowd  of  thoughts  might  she  at  this  time  have  cher- 
ished— hard  thoughts,  proud  thoughts,  and  despairing 
thoughts.  And  is  this  the  Messiah,  of  whom  such 
glorious  things  are  spoken?  Is  this  the  compassion 
that  he  is  to  exercise  "  to  the  poor,  and  to  them  that 
have  no  helper?"  No  mercy,  no  help  for  a  stranger, 
even  though  prostrate  at  his  feet ;  and  as  if  it  were 
not  enough  to  refuse  his  assistance,  he  must  call  me  a 
dog !  I  will  ask  no  more  ;  whatever  be  my  lot,  I  will 
bear  it.  Such  might  have  been  her  reflections,  and 
such  her  conduct;  but  she  was  a  believer,  and  faith 
operates  in  a  different  way. 

Yet  what  could  our  Saviour  mean  by  such  lan- 
guage ?  Did  he  really  intend  to  countenance  that  con- 
temptuous spirit  with  which  the  ungodly  Jews  treat- 
ed the  Gentiles?  Surely  not.  Did  he  feel  towards 
this  poor  stranger  as  his  words  would  seem  to  indicate? 
No;  his  roughness,  like  that  of  Joseph  towards  his 
brethren,  was  assumed  for  the  purpose  of  trying  her ; 


172  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

and  she  endures  the  trial  with  singular  perseverance. 
She  neither  resents  being  called  a  dog,  nor  despairs 
on  account  of  it;  but  is  resolved  still  to  follow  up 
her  suit.     Yet  what  new  plea  can  she  find  to  offer  ? 

Let  us  hear  the  fourth  and  last  application :  "  Truth, 
Lord ;  yet  the  dogs  eat  of  the  crumbs  that  fall  from 
their  master's  table."  Most  admirable!  Such  an 
instance  of  spiritual  ingenuity,  of  holy  and  humble 
acumen,  was  perhaps  never  known  before,  nor  since. 
Now  the  conflict  is  at  an  end ;  the  victory  is  gained ; 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  taken  by  the  prayer  of  faith. 
Jesus,  like  Joseph,  can  restrain  himself  no  longer,  but 
appears  in  his  true  character :  "  0  woman,  great  is 
thy  faith :  be  it  unto  thee  even  as  thou  wilt."  Let  us 
review  this  charming  crisis,  and  mark  the  ground 
from  which  this  last  and  successful  plea  proceeded. 
It  was  the  ground  on  which  the  Lord  had  placed  her.  He 
intimated  that  she  was  a  dog,  unworthy  of  the  chil- 
dren's bread ;  she  readily  admitted  it,  and  as  a  dog 
presented  her  petition.  Here  then  is  the  grand 
secret  how  to  succeed  in  our  approaches  for  mercy. 
We  must  stand  upon  that  ground  where  the  Scripture 
places  us,  and  thence  present  our  petition.  Does  the 
Lord  tell  us  in  his  word  that  we  are  guilty,  unworthy, 
ungodly,  deserving  of  eternal  death?  On  this  ground 
we  must  take  our  stand,  and  plead  for  that  mercy 
which  is  provided  for  persons  of  this  description. 
All  applications  for  mercy  on  any  other  ground  will 
be  unsuccessful. 

The  last  answer  of  Jesus,  as  well  as  the  last  prayer 
of  the  woman,  is  worthy  of  special  notice.  There  are 
three  things  remarkable  in  it:  the  recommendation 


ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  FAITH.  173 

of  her  faith,  the  granting  of  her  desire,  and  the  affec- 
tionate manner  in  which  both  were  addressed  to  her. 
"Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  her,  0  woman, 
great  is  thy  faith  I"     This  accords  with  his  general 
practice.     The  blessings  of  healing,  as  well  as  those 
of  a  more  spiritual  nature,  were  ordinarily  suspended 
on  believing,  and  when  obtained,  were  ascribed  to  it. 
Hence  such  language  as  this :   "  If  thou  canst  believe, 
all  things  are  possible  to  him  that  believeth."     "  Thy 
faith  hath  saved  thee."     "Thy  faith  hath  made  thee 
whole."    Did  our  Lord,  by  this  language,  mean  to 
give  away  the  honor  of  salvation  from  himself?    No ; 
it  is  not  used  for  the  purpose  of  transferring  honor  to 
us,  but  for  giving  encouragement  to  faith.     Neither 
is  there  any  opposition  of  interests  between  Christ 
and  faith :  those  who  are  saved  by  faith  are  saved  by 
Christ;  for  it  is  of  the  nature  of  faith  to  go  out  of 
itself,  and  draw  all  from  him.     Christ's  power  and 
grace  operate  as  the  cause  of  our  salvation,  faith  as 
the  means  of  it ;  yet  being  a  means  absolutely  neces- 
sary for  the  bringing  of  Christ  and  the  soul  together, 
as  well  as  for  the  promotion  of  all  other  graces,  it  is 
constantly  held  up  as  the  one  thing  needful. 

Perhaps,  if  we  had  commended  the  Canaanitish 
woman,  we  should  have  admired  her  great  importuni- 
ty and  great  humility ;  but  our  Lord  passes  over  these, 
taking  notice  only  of  her  faith :  and  wherefore  ?  Be- 
cause faith  was  the  root,  or  principle,  from  which  the 
others  sprang,  and  by  which  they  were  kept  alive. 

Our  Lord  often  commended  the  faith  of  believer^  ; 
but  I  recollect  only  two  instances  in  which  he  speaks 
of  it  as  being  great,  and  they  are  both  of  them  Gen- 


174  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

tiles:  one  is  the  RoiTian  centurion,  and  the  other  the 
woman  of  whom  we  are  discoursing.  There  doubtless 
was  an  eminency,  or  peculiar  strength,  in  the  faith  of 
each  of  them ;  but  that  which  more  than  any  thing 
rendered  it  great  in  our  Lord's  account,  was  its  being 
exercised  under  such  great  disadvantages.  To  Israel 
pertained  the  promises.  If  Gentiles  partook  of  the 
root  and  fatness  of  the  olive-tree,  it  was  by  being 
grafted  into  it  contrary  to  nature.  Yet,  amidst 
these  disadvantages,  they  abounded  in  faith  which, 
for  the  degree  of  it,  was  not  to  be  found  in  Israel. 
Thus  we  are  often  provoked  to  jealousy.  Persons 
whose  religious  advantages  have  been  small,  com- 
pared with  ours,  are  nevertheless  before  us  in  faith 
and  love  and  heavenly-mindedness.  Thus  it  is  that 
the  pride  of  man  is  stained,  and  no  flesh  suffered  to 
glory  in  the  divine  presence. 

Having  commended  her  faith,  our  Saviour  pro- 
ceeds ta grant  her  desire:  "Be  it  unto  thee  even  as 
thou  wilt."  The  Lord  does  not  excite  a  willing  mind 
with  a  view  finally  to  cross  it,  or  an  earnestness  of 
desire  in  order  to  disappoint  it ;  such  willingness  and 
such  desires,  therefore,  are  indicative  of  his  designs. 
Christ  only  can  satisfy  the  desires  of  the  mind ;  and 
Christians  are  the  only  men  in  the  world  whose  de- 
sires are  satisfied.  Caesar,  in  the  full  possession  of 
empire,  is  said  to  have  exclaimed,  "  Is  this  all  ?"  And 
such  is  the  disappointment  that  every  sinner  will 
meet  with  who  sets  his  heart  on  any  thing  but  Christ. 
It  is  not  in  the  power  of  the  whole  creation  to  say  to 
an  immortal,  guilty  creature,  "  Be  it  unto  thee  even  as 
thou  wilt ;"  but  Jesus  hath  the  words  of  eternal  life. 


ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  FAITH.  l75 

The  tender  and  affectionate  manner  in  which  our 
Saviour  commended  the  faith,  and  fulfilled  the  desire 
of  the  poor  petitioner,  is  deserving  also  of  remark. 
It  is  introduced  with  an  interjection,  0  woman !  In 
the  4ips  of  a  speaker  abounding  in  affectation,  such 
words  signify  but  little ;  but  Jesus  never  affected  to 
fee]  when  he  did  not.  Whenever,  therefore,  an  inter- 
jection is  seen  in^his  speeches,  we  may  be  certain  he 
felt.  He  felt  compassion  towards  her  on  account  of 
her  aJSliction ;  but  chiefly  admiration  and  delight,  on 
witnessing  the  peculiar  energy  of  her  faith.  Thus  he 
marvelled  at  the  Roman  centurion.  The  genuine, 
and  especially  the  eminent  exercises  of  grace  are, 
more  than  any  thing,  the  delight  of  Christ's  heart. 
In  looking  at  the  poor  and  contrite  spirit,  he  over- 
looks heaven  and  earth. 

It  may  be  rather  surprising  to  us  that  our  Saviour 
should  hold  this  poor  woman  so  long  in  suspense ;  but 
if  he  had  not,  her  graces  would  not  have  been  so  ap- 
parent, nor  the  exercise  of  them  so  grateful  to  him. 
And  thus  we  may  account  for  many  of  the  afflictions 
through  which  the  Lord  brings  his  servants.  If  trib- 
ulation work  patience,  and  patience  experience,  and 
experience  hope ;  an^  if,  in  his  esteem,  the  exercise  of 
these  graces  be  of  greater  account  than  our  present 
ease,  it  is  not  surprising  that  he  should  prefer  the 
former  to  the  latter;  and  this  consideration  should 
reconcile  us  to  those  providences  which  for  a  time 
hold  us  in  painful  suspense. 

From  the  whole  we  may  remark,  that  genuine,  yea, 
great  grace  may  be  exercised  in  respect  of  temporal 
mercies.    It  was  not  for  the  salvation  of  her  soul,  or 


176  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

the  soul  of  her  daughter,  that  this  poor  woman  was 
so  importunate  j  but  for  the  removal  of  an  affliction. 
Yet  such  was  the  grace  which  was  exercised  in  it, 
that  there  is  no  doubt  of  her  being  eternally  saved. 
The  exercise  of  spirituality  is  not  confined  to  the 
seeking  of  spiritual  blessings.  We  may  serve  the 
Lord  in  our  daily  avocations;  and  it  is  essential  to 
true  religion  that  we  do  so.  Such  prayer  may  be 
offered,  and  such  faith  exercised,  in  respect  of  our 
daily  bread,  as  have  the  promise  of  everlasting  life. 

Finally,  if  our  Saviour  suffered  himself  to  be  over- 
come by  one  who  sought  for  a  temporal  blessing,  much 
more  will  he  accept  those  who  come  to  him  for  such 
as  are  spiritual  and  eternal.  His  promises  are  much 
stronger  in  the  one  case  than  in  the  other.  Though 
there  were  several  general  intimations  that  the  Mes- 
siah would  exercise  compassion  towards  the  bodies  as 
well  as  the  souls  of  men,  and  the  numerous  miracles 
which  he  wrought  afforded  full  proof  of  his  readiness 
to  do  good  in  every  way,  yet  he  nowhere  bound  him- 
self, that  I  recollect,  to  heal  all  who  came  to  him.  I 
believe  he  never  sent  away  an  individual  without  a 
cure ;  but  still  he  seems  to  have  reserved  to  himself  a 
discretionary  power  to  do  so.  But  in  matters  of 
everlasting  moment,  the  word  is  gone  out  of  his  lips, 
"  Him  that  cometh  unto  me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out." 
Here,  every  one  who  seeketh  findeth,  and  to  him  that 
knocketh,  we  are  assured  by  the  Keeper  of  the  gate, 
it  shall  be  opened.  If  any  man,  therefore,  be  hereaf- 
ter shut  out  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  it  will  appear, 
in  the  end,  that  he  sought  not  after  it  in  the  present 
life ;  or  at  least,  that  he  sought  it  not  by  faith. 


ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  FAITH.  177 

We  shall  all  be  importunate,  sooner  or  later ;  but 
importunity  will  one  day  be  unavailing.  Many  will 
then  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able.  Yes, 
they  will  cry  earnestly,  saying,  "  Lord,  Lord,  open 
unto  us."  "  We  have  eaten  and  drunk  in  thy  pres- 
ence, and  thou  hast  taught  in  our  streets."  But  he 
shall  say,  "  Depart  from  me,  all  ye  workers  of  iniqui- 
ty." 0  my  readers,  let  us  agonize  to  enter  in  at  the 
strait  gate.  All  the  zeal  and  earnestness  which  we 
may  feel  in  other  things  is  spending  our  money  for 
that  which  is  not  bread,  and  our  labor  for  that  which 
satisfieth  not.  Incline  your  ear,  and  come  unto  Him ; 
hear,  and  your  souls  shall  live ;  and  he  will  make  an 
everlasting  covenant  with  you,  even  the  sure  mercies 
of  David. 

It  is  not  uncommon-  to  meet  with  persons,  espe- 
cially in  seasons  of  great  religious  excitement,  whose 
minds  have  been  sincerely  impressed  with  a  view  of 
their  sinfulness,  and  who  have,  perhaps  very  sud- 
denly, obtained  relief.  What  is  it,  I  would  ask,  that 
has  given  you  relief  ?  Is  it  any  thing  in  the  gospel  ? 
any  thing  in  the  doctrine  of  the  cross  ?  If  so,  rejoice 
in  your  associates,  and  let  your  associates  rejoice  in 
you.  If  it  be  so,  you  have  no  reason  to  doubt  or  fear, 
or  cherish  any  misgivings  of  heart.  That  consolation 
which  proceeds  from  these  sources  is  undoubtedly  of 
God.  But  you  will  ask.  Is  there  no  true  consolation 
but  what  is  derived  directly  from  the  doctrine  of  the 
cross?  may  we  not  be  comforted  by  a  consciousness 
of  that  in  our  own  souls  to  which  God  has  promised 
everlasting  life?    I  answer,  We  certainly  may:  the 


178  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

Scriptures  point  out  many  things  as  evidences  of  a 
work  of  grace ;  and  if  we  are  conscious  that  we  are 
the  subjects  of  them,  we  are  warranted  to  conclude 
ourselves  interested  in  eternal  life.  But  it  becomeis 
us  to  beware  of  reckoning  those  things  as.  evidences 
of  grace  which  are  not  so,  and  to  which  no  promises 
are  made  in  the  word  of  God.  It  may  be  the  case, 
that  the  evidence  from  which  your  encouragement 
was  drawn  was  mere  distress — distress  in  which  your 
heart  was  too  hard  to  repent,  and  under  which  you 
could  not  believe.  Yet,  on  account  of  this  distress, 
you  have  perhaps  been  complimented  with  possessing 
a  broken  heart,  a  poor  and  contrite  spirit ;  and  the 
promises  made  to  such  persons  have  been  applied  to 
you.  If  these  things  are  just,  a  hard  heart  and  a  con- 
trite spirit  may  be  found  in  the  same  person,  and  at 
the  same  time.  To  this  may  be  added,  though  believ- 
ers derive  consolation  from  a  consciousness  of  that 
within  them  to  which  the  Scriptures  promise  everlast- 
ing life,  yet  this  is  not  the  way  in  which  the  Spirit  of 
God  frst  imparts  relief  to  the  soul.  The  first  genuine 
consolation  that  is  afforded  is  by  something  without 
ourselves,  even  by  the  doctrine  of  the  cross:  while 
this  is  rejected  or  disregarded,  we  are  unbelievers, 
and  cannot  possibly  be  the  subjects  of  any  disposition 
or  exercise  of  mind  which  is  pleasing  to  God,  or  to 
which  he  has  promised  salvation,  and  consequently 
cannot  be  conscious  of  any  thing  of  the  kind. 

The  first  relief  enjoyed  by  the  manslayer  was  from 
a  city  of  refuge  being  provided ;  after  he  had  entered 
in,  he  would  derive  additional  consolation  from  know- 
ing that  he  was  within  its  gates ;  and  thus  it  is  that 


ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  FAITH.  179 

rest  to  the  soid  is  promised  to  them  that  come  to 
Jesus,  take  his  yoke,  and  imbibe  his  spirit.  But  the 
rest  which  you  have  found  was  not  by  coming  to  him 
as  weary  and  heavy  laden,  but  from  a  consciousness 
that  you  were  weary  and  heavy  ladeii,  and  by  being 
taught  that  this  was  a  true  sign  of  future  deliverance. 
You  have  found  rest,  it  seems,  without  coming  to  Jesus 
that  you  may  have  life. 

If  indeed  your  spirit  is  poor  and  contrite — if  it  be 
a  grief  of  heart  to  you  to  reflect  on  your  conduct 
towards  the  best  of  beings — if  a  view  of  the  cross  of 
Christ  excite  to  mourning  on  account  of  that  for 
which  he  died,  then  is  thy  heart  with  my  heart ;  and 
with  the  greatest  satisfaction  I  can  add,  give  me  thy 
hand.  Yes;  if  so,  your  heart  is  with  God's  heart, 
with  Christ's  heart,  and  with  the  heart  of  all  holy 
beings,  and  all  holy  beings  will  offer  thee  their  hand. 
But  in  this  case  you  not  only  can,  but  do  repent  and 
believe  in  Jesus.  The  question  is,  Is  that  distress  of 
soul  which  is  antecedent  to  all  godly  sorrow  for  sin, 
and  in  the  midst  of  which  the  sinner  is  not  willing  to 
come  to  Jesus  as  utterly  unworthy  that  he  may  have 
life,  any  evidence  of  a  work  of  grace  ?  If  it  be,  Saul 
during  his  last  years,  and  Judas  in  his  last  hours, 
were  both  converted  persons.  If  ever  men  were 
weary  and  heavy  laden  they  were  ;  but  neither  of  them 
came  to  Jesus  with  his  burden,  neither  of  them  found 
rest  for  his  soul. 

Consider,  I  beseech  you,  whether  that  distress  of 
soul  which  has  preceded  and  issued  in  true  conversion, 
is  ever  represented  in  the  Scripture  as  an  evidence  of  a 
work  of  grace  j  or  whether  the  parties  were  ever  com- 


180  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

forted  on  that  ground.  Do  reperuse  the  cases  of  Pe- 
ter^s  address  to  the  murderers  of  Christ,  and  that  of 
Paul  and  Silas  to  the  jailer. 

Section  III.  Trust  in  ^Christ  shown  in  the 
CONDUCT  OF  THE  DYING  THIEF.  As  the  nature  of  faith 
in  Christ  should  be  well  understood,  it  may  be  well 
to  examine  another  instance  of  it  in  the  penitent 
thief,  as  recorded  in  the  twenty-third  chapter  of  the 
gospel  of  Luke. 

It  is  an  opinion  entertained  by  some  who  imbibe 
what  is  sometimes  called  rational  Christianity,  that 
character  being  formed  by  habits,  and  habits  by  a 
series  of  actions,  sudden  conversions  are  impossible. 
It  would  seem  to  be  in  support  of  this  hypothesis  that 
doubts  have  been  suggested  as  to  the  previous  charac- 
ter of  the  converted  thief,  as  whether  his  crime  might 
not  consist  in  some  affair  of  a  political  nature,  which 
being  accounted  seditious,  affected  his  life ;  and  whether 
he  might  not,  upon  the  whole,  have  had  a  good  char- 
acter notwithstanding.  There  is  nothing,  however, 
in  the  story  that  countenances  such  an  idea.  He  is 
called  a  malefactor,  or  evil-doer,  and  the  term  here 
rendered  a  thief  signifies  as  much  as  a  robber.  It  is 
the  same  word  that  is  used  of  Barabbas,  who  was  a 
robber  and  murderer.  Besides,  he  condemns  himself; 
who  then  shall  go  about  to  justify  him  ? 

•  Those  who  entertain  this  opinion  could  have  noth- 
ing to  say  to  a  condemned  malefactor,  unless  it  were 
to  examine  him  as  to  the  reality  and  heinousness  of 
his  crimes,  hoping  to  find  him  less  guilty  than  was 
alleged.     If  on  inquiry  they  find  he  has  been  a  bad 


ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  FAITH.  181 

man,  they  must  give  Mm  up  as  to  any  change  being 
effected  in  this  life.  The  gospel  which  they  preach 
will  not  reach  his  case.  He  must  die,  therefore,  in 
his  sins,  and  whither  the  Saviour  is  gone  he  can- 
not go. 

Some  who  have  not  carried  matters  to  this  length, 
have  yet  considered  the  conversion  of  bad  men  as 
every  thing  but  hopeless.  They  do  not  say  it  is  im- 
possible, but  conceive  it  to  be  exceedingly  improbable ; 
as  if  the  probability  of  a  sinner's  conversion  depended 
on  his  previous  character,  and  was  influenced  by  it. 
Jesus,  however,  commissioned  his  disciples  to  "  preach 
repentance  and  remission  of  sins,  in  his  name,  among 
all  nations,  beginning  at  Jerusalem,"  the  crimes  of 
whose  inhabitants,  in  crucifying  the  Lord  of  glory, 
were  such  that,  compared  with  them,  those  of  ordinary 
malefactors  are  but  little  follies. 

The  doctrine  of  grace  to  the  chief  of  sinners  never 
seems  to  be  guarded  in  the  Scriptures  in  the  manner 
we  sometimes  see  it  in  human  writings.  The  salva- 
tion of  a  great  sinner  is  not  there  held  up  as  a  singular 
instance,  which  we  are  not  to  expect  to  see  repeated ; 
but  rather  as  a  proof  that  no  sinner  need  despair  on 
account  of  the  magnitude  of  his  sins.  "For  this  cause 
I  obtained  mercy,  that  in  me  first  Jesus  Christ  might 
show  forth  all  long-suffering,  for  a  pattern  to  them  who 
should  hereafter  believe  on  him  to  everlasting  life." 
1  Tim.  1 :  16. 

The  way  in  which  the  Scriptures  guard  the  doc- 
trine of  grace  is  not  by  limiting  its  operations,  but  by 
insisting  upon  its  effects.  They  put  no  questions  to  a 
sinner  coming  to  Jesus  for  mercy  as  to  the  magnitude 


182  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

of  Ms  sms,  but  they  declare  without  reserve,  that  "  if 
any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature :  old  things 
are  passed  away ;  behold,  all  things  are  become  new." 
2  Cor.  5  :  17.  On  this  principle  let  us  carefully  ex- 
amine the  case  of  the  converted  thief,  and  apply  it  as 
we  go  along  to  cases  in  our  own  times. 

1.  He  frankly  acknowledges  his  guilt,  and  the  jus- 
tice of  his  condemnation.  "We,  indeed,  justly  ;  "we 
receive  the  due  reward  of  our  deeds."  The  sinner 
who  palliates  or  prevaricates  as  to  any  part  of  his 
conduct  is  not  a  new  creature,  and  therefore  is  not 
in  Christ. 

It  is  possible,  however,  that  a  convict  may, 
through  the  fallibility  of  the  most  upright  judge  and 
jury,  be  condemned  to  die  for  a  crime  of  which  he  is 
not  guilty,  although  he  has  been  guilty  of  many  other 
crimes ;  while,  therefore,  he  acknowledges  the  justice 
of  God  in  his  condemnation,  he  cannot  in  respect  of 
the  proceedings  of  man  say,  with  the  dying  thief,  I 
suffer  justly.  Such  a  case  as  this  may  occur,  and 
where  it  does  it  is  doubtless  right  for  the  party  to 
speak  the  truth.  But  before  he  is  entitled  to  credit, 
the  credibility  of  the  evidence  against  him  requires  to 
be  carefully  and  impartially  considered.  Truth  also 
is  consistent,  and  very  rarely  devoid  of  evidence. 
Before  he  is  entitled  to  credit  in  the  denial  of  what 
has  been  legally  proved  against  him,  it  should  be  con- 
sidered also  that  he  may  have  an  interest  in  trying  to 
persuade  those  about  him  of  his  innocence  in  respect 
of  the  crime  for  which  he  is  condemned  to  suffer,  as 
it  is  by  this  only  that  he  can  hope  for  an  application 
being  made  on  his  behalf  for  the  mitigation  of  his  pun- 


ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  FAITH.  183 

ishment.  When  a  compassionate  minister  attends  a 
convict  in  such  circumstances,  and  hears  him  confess 
how  great  a  sinner  he  has  been  in  other  things,  though 
as  to  the  crime  for  which  he  is  about  to  suffer  he  is 
innocent,  he  may  be  induced  to  believe  him,  and  this 
the  convict  will  quickly  perceive,  and  will  go  on  by 
every  means  in  his  power  to  work  up  his  feelings. 
The  convict  may  even  exaggerate  his  other  crimes, 
for  the  sake  of  producing  a  belief  of  his  innocence  of 
the  crime  for  which  he  stands  condemned.  But  it 
ought  to  be  considered,  that  for  the  crimes  which  he 
confesses  he  lies  under  no  indictment,  and  therefore 
they  do  not  affect  his  life ;  but  for  the  crime  which 
he  denies,  he  stands  not  only  indicted  but  condemned ; 
this  therefore  affecting  his  life,  he  is  under  the  strong- 
est temptation  that  can  be  conceived  to  deny  it.  The 
sum  is,  that  when  a  person  is  found  guilty  by  a  hu- 
mane judge  and  an  impartial  jury,  it  may  be  laid 
down  as  a  general  rule  that  he  is  guilty,  and  no  pro- 
fessions of  repentance  while  he  continues  to  deny  it 
can  be  sincere ;  and  though  there  are  particular  excep- 
tions to  this  rule,  yet  no  convict  ought  to  be  consid- 
ered as  one  of  them  on  his  own  bare  word,  unaccom- 
panied with  evidence,  especially  when  he  is  under  the 
greatest  possible  temptation,  though  he  were  guilty, 
to  wish  to  be  thought  innocent. 

2.  The  few  things  uttered  by  the  dying  thief  had 
no  bearing  on  his  temporal  interest,  but  were  the 
pure  dictates  of  truth  and  righteousness.  In  con- 
demning his  own  conduct,  he  justified  his  countrymen 
as  to  their  treatment  of  him ;  yet  at  the  same  time  he 
condemned  them  as  to  their  treatment  of  Jesus.     If, 


184  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

by  the  former,  he  might  be  supposed  to  conciliate 
them,  and  induce  them  to  make  interest  for  his  being 
taken  down  from  the  cross,  the  latter  would  have  a 
contrary  effect.  His  words,  therefore,  taken  together, 
must  have  arisen  from  a  regard  to  what  was  true  and 
right. 

3.  His  repentance  towards  God  was  accompanied 
with  "faith  towards  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  The 
prayer  that  he  offered  was  that  of  faith,  and  consid- 
ering his  circumstances,  of  great  faith.  A  man  of 
his  habits  cannot  be  supposed  to  have  been  much 
acquainted  with  the  prophecies  or  the  miracles  of 
Christ.  Excepting  the  general  idea,  which  may  be 
considered  as  common  to  every  Jew,  that  the  Messiah 
would  come,  he  would  probably  know  little  or  nothing 
of  religion.  It  is  not  unlikely  that,  till  he  saw  Jesus 
in  the  hands  of  the  rulers,  he  knew  nothing  of  him ; 
and  now  that  he  saw  him,  it  was  under  every  circum- 
stance of  weakness  and  disgrace :  his  enemies  were 
triumphing  over  him,  his  friends  had  mostly  forsaken 
him,  public  opinion  was  against  him,  and  his  very 
crucifixion  was  deemed  inconsistent  with  his  Mes- 
siahship.  The  lowliness  of  his  condition  from  the 
beginning  was  a  great  stumbling-block  to  the  Jews, 
and  the  circumstances  of  his  death  must  render  it 
more  so,  especially  to  one  who  had  never  seen  him 
but  in  this  situation.  Even  those  who  had  believed 
in  him  were  made  to  doubt  by  his  crucifixion.  Yet 
under  all  these  disadvantages  he  had  the  fullest  con- 
viction of  his  Messiahship,  or  he  could  not  have 
offered  the  prayer  which  he  did,  "Lord,  remember 
me  when  thou  comest  into  thy  kingdom."    By  the 


ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  FAITH.  185 

request  to  be  remembered,  he  must  have  meant  as 
much  as  if  he  had  asked  to  be  saved,  which  implies 
his  belief  in  Jesus  as  the  Saviour.  Indeed  he  must 
have  believed  him  to  be  the  Saviour  even  of  the  chief 
of  sinners,  or  he  would  not  have  hoped  to  be  remem- 
bered by  him.  A  self-righteous  spectator  would  have 
cried  shame  on  such  a  petition ;  and  had  he  himself 
been  influenced  by  that  spirit,  he  might  have  sup- 
pressed it,  as  being  unworthy  of  so  great  a  favor. 
He  must  also  have  believed  that  this  Jesus,  though 
now  expiring  upon  the  cross,  would  shortly  be  in  pos- 
session of  a  kingdom  in  the  heavenly  world.  In  this, 
again,  he  was  before  the  apostles,  whose  notions  of 
an  earthly  kingdom  blinded  their  minds.  Finally,  it 
would  seem  as  if  he  believed  that  in  that  blessed 
kingdom  Jesus  would  "make  intercession  for  trans- 
gressors ;"  why  else  did  he  ask  to  be  remembered  by 
him  ?  This  is  certain,  that  if  he  had  possessed  the 
clearest  views  of  the  intercession  of  Christ,  he  could 
not  have  expressed  himself  better. 

How  full  and  appropriate  was  the  term  which  his 
heart  dictated.  It  is  as  if  he  had  said.  Think  of  me 
when  it  shall  be  well  with  thee.  He  might  have 
said.  Pardon  me,  save  me,  bless  me ;  but  the  words  '•  re- 
member  me  "  include  them  all.  An  interest  in  Christ's 
heart  will  comprehend  an  interest  in  all  his  benefits. 
Nor  was  the  term  less  appropriate  to  the  condition 
of  the  petitioner  ;  an  outcast  from  society,  who  will 
remember  him  ?  The  public  would  think  no  more  of 
him ;  his  friends  would  be  glad  to  forget  him,  as  hav- 
ing disgraced  the  family ;  but  there  is  one  with  whom 
he  ventures  to  lodge  a  petition,  "  Lord,  remember  me  '' 


186  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

How  shall  we  account  for  so  large  a  portion  of  faith 
and  spiritual  understanding  in  one  circumstanced  as 
he  was,  and  in  so  short  a  time  ?  Without  divine  influ- 
ence it  cannot  be  accounted  for,  but  with  it  that 
which  he  saw  and  heard  was  sufficient  for  every  pur- 
pose. When  led  to  the  place  of  execution,  he  heard 
the  answer  of  Jesus  to  the  women  who  lamented  him  : 
"  Daughters  of  Jerusalem,  weep  not  for  me,  but  weep 
for  yourselves,  and  for  your  children ;  for  behold,  the 
days  are  coming  in  the  which  they  shall  say,  Blessed 
are  the  barren,  and  the  wombs  that  never  bare,  and 
the  paps  which  never  gave  suck.  Then  they  shall 
begin  to  say  to  the  mountains.  Fall  on  us ;  and  to  the 
hills.  Cover  us :  for  if  they  do  these  things  in  a  green 
tree,  what  shall  be  done  in  the  dry?"  He  had  also 
heard  the  prayer  for  his  enemies  when  they  were 
nailing  him  to  the  cross,  "  Father,  forgive  them ;  for 
they  know  not  what  they  do."  To  a  heart  which  the 
Lord  had  opened,  these  sayings  would  be  more  than 
so  many  sermons.  Nor  was  this  all ;  he  would  gather 
from  the  very  jeers  of  his  enemies  that  Jesus  pro- 
fessed to  be  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  and  the  Saviour 
of  men.  Even  the  impenitent  thief  knew  this,  and 
joined  in  reproaching  him  for  it.  The  superscription 
written  over  him,  "This  is  the  Kin^-  of  the  Jews," 
was  equal  to  saying,  This  is  the  Messiah;  and  so 
contained  a  testimony  for  him,  on  which  account  the 
Jews  wished  to  have  it  altered.  He  would  also  per- 
ceive the  spirit  of  the  sufferer  and  that  of  his  perse- 
cutors. Altogether,  he  saw  that  he  had  "  done  noth- 
ing amiss;"  and  his  mind,  being  open  to  conviction, 
would  quickly  admit  the  consequences :  He  must  be 


ILLUSTRATIONS    OF  FAITH.  187 

what  he  professes  to  be,  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  and 
the  Saviour  of  the  world. 

From  this  conviction  proceeded  his  petition  to  be 
remembered  by  him ;  and  considering  the  well-known 
character  of  Christ,  it  was  not  surprising  that  it 
should  be  heard  and  answered.  He  had  declared  in 
his  discourses,  "  Him  that  cometh  unto  me  I  will  in  no 
wise  cast  out  f  and  he  acted  up  to  it.  "  Jesus  said 
unto  him,  Yerily,  I  say  unto  thee.  To-day  shalt  thou 
be  with  me  in  paradise."  Of  the  reproaches  that 
were  cast  upon  him  by  his  enemies  he  took  no  notice  j 
but  the  prayer  of  the  contrite  and  believing  sinner 
arrested  his  attention.  At  a  time  when  he  was  grap- 
pling with  the  powers  of  darkness,  and  sustaining  the 
load  of  human  guilt,  we  should  have  thought  he  might 
have  been  excused  from  attending  to  individual  ap- 
plications ;  but  a  sinner  can  never  come  to  him  in  an 
unacceptable  time.  He  gives  him  an  answer  of  peace, 
and  that  without  delay.  There  was  a  case,  which  we 
have  already  considered,  in  which  he  held  the  peti- 
tioner a  while  in  suspense,  alleging,  "  It  is  not  meet  to 
take  the  children's  bread,  and  cast  it  to  the  dogs ;" 
but  this  was  an  urgent  case.  In  a  very  little  time 
the  spark  of  life  would  be  extinguished.  The  word 
must  be  nigh  him,  or  it  will  be  unavailing.  Had  he 
been  required  to  ascend  to  heaven  or  to  descend  into 
the  deep  for  the  blessing,  it  had  been  utterly  out  of 
reach.  Had  it  been  necessary  for  him  to  possess  a 
set  of  virtuous  habits,  each  acquired  by  a  series  of 
virtuous  acts,  the  way  had  been  too  circuitous  for 
him ;  but  the  word  of  faith  was  nigh  him,  and  he  laid 
hold  of  it ;  with  his  heart  believing  unto  righteous- 


188  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

ness,  and  with  his  mouth  making  confession  unto  sal- 
vation. 

As  the  request  to  be  remembered  included  much, 
so  did  the  answer.  To  be  with  Christ  in  paradise, 
not  only  supposes  that  his  soul  would  exist  when  sep- 
arated from  the  body,  but  intimates  the  forgiveness 
of  his  sins,  and  all  that  was  necessary  to  salvation. 
It  exceeds  all  that  he  asked  or  thought :  he  asked  to 
be  remembered  by  him,  and  is  told  he  shall  be  with 
him ;  he  asked  to  be  remembered  at  a  future  time, 
he  knew  not  when,  and  is  assured  that  before  the 
day  should  end  they  would  be  together  in  paradise. 
And  lest  it  should  seem  too  much  to  be  true,  Jesus 
prefaced  the  assurance  with  the  solemn  asseveration, 
•'  Verily  I  say  unto  thee."  The  dying  man  no  doubt 
believed  him,  and  rejoiced  in  hope  of  eternal  life. 

4.  Though  assured  of  being  with  Christ  in  para- 
dise, there  is  no  mention  of  his  making  this  a  part  of 
his  confession,  or  telling  the  spectators  that  he  was 
going  to  heaven.  What  was  said  on  this  subject  was 
by  Christ,  and  not  by  him.  Is  it  unnatural  to  sup- 
pose that  the  circumstances  under  which  he  died 
would  induce  him  to  suppress  things  which  might 
have  been  proper  in  other  circumstances?  Had  he 
been  a  martyr  to  the  truth,  he  might  have  declared, 
with  great  propriety,  that  though  they  had  cast  him 
out,  God  would  receive  him ;  or  had  he  died  in  his 
bed,  like  righteous  men,  he  might  have  said  with  an 
apostle,  *'  If  the  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  were 
dissolved,  we  have  a  building  of  God,  a  house  not 
made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens ;"  but  dying 
as  a  malefactor,  whatever  were  his  hopes  or  joys,  he 


ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  FAITH.  189 

would  not  be  forward  to  speak  of  them.  If,  in  cases 
where  men  are  "  buffeted  for  their  faults,"  the  most  ex- 
emplary patience  loses  its  glory  and  thankworthiness, 
much  more  where  they  are  executed  for  their  crimes. 
It  must  appear  to  the  dying  thief,  and  I  think  to 
any  true  penitent  in  his  situation,  that  the  expressions 
of  a  lively  hope  would  have  no  glory,  but  must  rather 
appear  incongruous  and  disgusting.  In  such  circum- 
stances, therefore,  he  would  rather  choose  to  steal  out 
of  the  world  in  silence.  Duty  required  him  to  ac- 
knowledge his  sin,  and  he  did  so  without  prevarica- 
tion or  reserve.  Let  the  world  think  ill  of  his  con- 
duct ;  the  more  they  do  this,  the  better ;  but  as  to 
their  thinking  well  of  his  future  state,  he  discovered 
no  concern  about  it. 

Besides,  except  his  acknowledgment  of  the  justice 
of  his  sentence,  he  had  no  claim  to  the  credence  of 
the  spectators  for  the  sincerity  of  his  repentance. 
Unless  his  life  had  been  prolonged,  he  could  give  no 
proof  of  it ;  what  right  then  had  he  to  expect  to  be 
credited  as  to  his  future  happiness  ?  The  testimony 
of  a  single  witness  was  not  admitted  in  certain  cases, 
under  the  Mosaic  law ;  whatever,  therefore,  such  a 
witness  might  know,  he  would  not  be  forward  to  utter, 
and  still  less  to  claim  credit  for  the  truth  of  that  of 
which  he  could  produce  no  legal  proof ;  so  the  truly 
penitent  convict,  knowing  that  he  has  no  such  means 
of  proving  his  sincerity  as  he  would  have  if  his  life 
were  prolonged,  will  not  be  eager  in  proclaiming  it. 

If  the  views  we  have  presented  are  correct,  the 
justification  of  sinners  by  the  work  of  their  hands 


190  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

utterly  falls  to  the  ground.  The  foundation  on  which 
sinners  in  general  build  their  hopes  is  something  like 
this :  They  have  more  virtue  than  vice,  more  good 
works  than  evil  ones ;  that  as  none  are  without  fault, 
and  which  they  conceive  affords  a  good  excuse  for 
them,  God  will  not  be  strict  to  mark  iniquity,  but  will 
weigh  the  good  against  the  evil,  and  so  balance  the 
account.  But  if  all  the  works  of  unregenerate  sin- 
ners be  of  the  nature  of  sin,  there  is  an  end  to  all 
hope  of  being  accepted  of  God  on  their  own  account. 
When  ministers  have  endeavored  to  dissuade  sinners 
from  a  reliance  on  their  own  righteousness,  I  have 
heard  them  reason  to  this  effect :  "  Your  good  deeds 
are  all  mixed  with  evil,  and  therefore  cannot  be  accept- 
able to  God."  I  acknowledge  that  this  is  just,  and 
that  the  least  mixture  of  sin  is  an  eternal  bar  to  our 
being  justified  by  our  own  righteousness;  but  me- 
thinks,  if  they  could  have  alleged  that  all  their  works 
were  essentially  and  entirely  evil,  their  arguments 
must  have  been  more  effectual  as  to  the  cutting  up  of 
self-righteous  hopes.  And  such  a  doctrine  would  leave 
no  room  for  the  supposition  of  Christ  dying  to  render 
our  imperfect  but  sincere  obedience  acceptable  to  God, 
instead  of  that  which  is  perfect ;  for  in  this  case,  the 
idea  of  imperfect  sincere  endeavors  in  unregenerate 
men  is  inadmissible — there  are  no  such  endeavors  in 
existence. 

Alas,  what  multitudes  are  yet  in  a  state  of  unbe- 
lief, and  therefore  exposed  to  the  wrath  of  God. 
Let  us  however  remind  you,  dear  reader,  that  great 
as  is  the  sin  of  unbelief,  it  is  not  unpardonable;  it 


ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  FAITH.  191 

becomes  such  only  by  persisting  in  it  till  death.  Saul 
of  Tarsus  was  an  unbeliever,  yet  he  "  obtained  mercy ;" 
and  his  being  an  unbeliever,  rather  than  a  presumptu- 
ous opposer  of  Christ  against  conviction,  placed  him 
within  the  pale  of  forgiveness,  and  is  therefore  assigned 
as  a  reason  of  it.     1  Tim.  1:13. 

This  consideration  affords  a  hope  even  to  unbe- 
lievers. 0  ye  self-righteous  despisers  of  a  free  salva- 
tion through  a  Mediator,  be  it  known  to  you  that 
there  is  no  other  name  given  under  heaven,  or  among 
men,  by  which  you  can  be  saved.  To  Him  whom  you 
have  disregarded  and  despised,  you  must  either  volun- 
tarily or  involuntarily  submit.  To  Him  every  knee 
shall  bow.  You  cannot  go  back  into  a  state  of  non- 
existence, however  desirable  it  might  be  to  many  of 
you,  for  God  hath  stamped  immortality  upon  your 
natures.  You  cannot  turn  to  the  right  hand,  or  to 
the  left,  with  any  advantage;  whether  you  give  a 
loose  to  your  inclination,  or  put  a  force  upon  it  by  an 
assumed  devotion,  each  will  lead  to  the  same  issue. 
Neither  can  you  stand  still.  Like  a  vessel  in  a  tem- 
pestuous ocean,  you  must  go  this  way  or  that ;  and  go 
which  way  you  will,  if  it  be  not  to  Jesus  as  utterly 
unworthy,  you  are  only  heaping  up  wrath  against  the 
day  of  wrath.  Whether  you  sing,  or  pray,  or  hear, 
or  preach,  or  feed  the  poor,  or  till  the  soil,  if  self  he 
your  object  and  Christ  be  disregarded,  all  is  sin,  and 
all  will  issue  in  disappointment ;  "  the  root  is  rotten- 
ness, and  the  blossom  shall  go  up  as  the  dust."  Whither 
will  you  go  ?  Jesus  invites  you  to  come  to  Mm.  His 
servants  beseech  you,  in  his  name,  to  be  reconciled  to 
God.    The  Spirit  saith.  Come;  and  the  bride  saith, 


192  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

Came;  and  "whosoever  will,  let  him  come,  and  take 
of  the  water  of  life  freely."  An  eternal  heaven  is 
before  you  in  one  direction,  and  an  eternal  hell  in  the 
other.  Your  answer  is  required.  Be  one  thing  or 
another.  Choose  you  this  day  whom  ye  will  serve. 
For  our  own  parts,  we  will  abide  by  our  Lord  and 
Saviour.  If  you  continue  to  reject  him,  so  it  must  be ; 
"  nevertheless,  be  ye  sure  of  this,  that  the  kingdom  of 
God  has  come  nigh  unto  you.'' 


PRACTICAL  SUaaESTIONS.  193 


CHAPTER    YII. 

PRACTICAL  IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE  SUBJECT. 

The  doctrine  and  the  faith  of  the  primitive  Chris- 
tians were  summarily  avowed  every  time  they  cele- 
brated the  Lord's  supper.  The  leading  truth  exhib- 
ited by  that  ordinance  is  the  same  which  John  calls 
"the  record;"  namely,  that  "  God  hath  given  unto  us 
eternal  life,  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son."  Under  the 
form  of  a  feast,  of  which  we  are  invited  to  take,  to 
eat,  and  to  drink,  are  set  forth  the  blessings  of  the 
new  testament,  or  covenant,  and  the  medium  through 
which  they  were  obtained,  namely,  the  blood  of  Jesus, 
shed  for  many  for  the  remission  of  sins ;  and  the  way 
in  which  they  must  be  received,  that  is  to  say,  as  a 
free  gift  bestowed  on  the  unworthy  for  his  sake.  If 
this  simple  doctrine  were  believed  with  the  spirit  of 
a  little  child,  and  lived  upon  as  our  meat  and  drink, 
we  might  take  an  everlasting  leave  of  speculations  on 
things  beyond  our  reach ;  and  that  without  sustaining 
the  loss  of  any  thing  but  what  were  better  lost  than 
retained. 

Let  us  affectionately  say  to  each  of  our  readers, 
Be  not  forgetful  of  the  medium  through  which  all 
your  offerings,  whether  of  your  souls  or  your  worship, 
become  acceptable,  "Jesus  Christ."    We  must  not 


Atonement. 


194  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

carry  our  offerings  in  our  hand,  like  Cain,  presuming 
to  be  accepted  on  account  of  them.  The  order  of  the 
divine  proceedings  is  the  reverse  of  this.  The  Lord 
had  respect,  not  to  the  offering  of  Abel,  and  so  to  him, 
but  to  Abel,  and  so  to  his  offering.  The  good  works 
of  sinful  creatures,  even  those  which  are  most  "  spir- 
itual," are  no  otherwise  acceptable  to  God  than  by 
"  Jesus  Christ."  The  case  of  Job  and  his  three 
friends,  which  we  have  before  referred  to,  serves  to 
illustrate  this  principle.  The  Lord  was  so  displeased 
with  them,  that  he  refused  to  accept  even  a  petition 
at  their  hands.  "  My  wrath,"  saith  he,  "  is  kindled 
against  you.  Take  your  offerings,  and  go  to  my  ser- 
vant Job :  he  shall  pray  for  you,  and  him  will  I  accept, 
lest  I  deal  with  you  after  your  folly."  Such  is  our 
case,  and  such  the  intercession  of  our  Redeemer.  Him 
God  accepts,  and  through  him  our  prayers  and  praises 
become  acceptable  to  God. 

The  love  of  God  is  manifested  in  the  gift  of  his  Son. 
"  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begot- 
ten Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not 
perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."  "  Herein  is  love, 
not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he  loved  us,  and  sent 
his  Son  to  be  a  propitiation  for  our  sins."  "  God 
commendeth  his  love  towards  us,  in  that,  while  we 
were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for  us."  "He  that 
spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him-  up  for  us 
all."  "  Beloved,  if  God  so  loved  us,  we  ought  also  to 
love  one  another."  The  benevolence  of  God  to  men 
is  represented  in  the  New  Testament  as  consisting  not 
in  his  overlooking  their  frailties,  not  so  much  even  in 


PRACTICAL  SUGGESTIONS.  195 

his  forgiving  their  sins,  as  in  giving  his  only  begotten 
Son  to  die  for  them.  Herein  was  loDe;  and  herein  was 
found  the  grand  motive  to  grateful  obedience.  As 
this  is  a  matter  of  fact,  it  may  be  worth  while  to  make 
some  inquiry  into  the  reason  of  it,  or  why  it  is  that  so 
great  a  stress  should  be  laid  in  the  Scriptures  upon 
this  motive.  To  say  nothing  of  the  strong  presump- 
tion which  this  affords  in  favor  of  the  doctrine  of 
atonement,  suffice  it  at  present  to  observe,  that  in  all 
other  cases,  an  obligation  to  gratitude  is  supposed  to 
bear  some  proportion  to  the  magnitude  or  value  of  the 
gift.  But  if  it  be  allowed  in  this  instance,  it  will  fol- 
low that  the  system  which  gives  us  the  most  exalted 
views  of  the  dignity  of  Christ,  must  include  the  strong- 
est motives  to  obedience  and  gratitude. 

If  there  be  any  meaning  in  the  words,  the  phrase- 
ology of  John  3  :  16,  "  God  so  loved  the  world,  that 
he  gave  his  rnily  begotten  Son,^'  conveys  an  idea  of  the 
highest  worth  in  the  object  bestowed.  So  great  was 
this  gift,  that  the  love  of  God  in  the  bestowment  of  it 
is  considered  as  inexpressible  and  inestimable.  We 
are  not  told  how  much  he  loved  the  world,  but  that 
he  so  loved  it  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son.  If 
Jesus  Christ  be  of  more  worth  than  the  world  for 
which  he  was  given,  then  was  the  language  of  the 
sacred  writer  fit  and  proper ;  and  then  was  the  gift  of 
him  truly  great,  and  worthy  of  being  made  the  con- 
sideration upon  which  the  Scriptures  should  lay  the 
greatest  stress,  as  a  motive  to  gratitude  and  obedience. 
But  if  he  be  merely  a  man  like  ourselves,  and  was 
given  only  to  instruct  us  by  his  doctrine  and  example, 
there  is  nothing  so  great  in  the  gift  of  him,  nothing 


196  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

that  will  justify  the  language  of  the  sacred  writers 
from  the  charge  of  bombast,  nothing  that  should  ren- 
der it  a  motive  to  gratitude  and  obedience,  upon 
which  the  greatest  stress  should  be  laid. 

The  expense  at  which  our  forgiveness  was  obtained, 
is  a  consideration  which  endears  to  us  both  the  gift 
and  the  giver.  We  do  not  conceive  of  Christ,  in  his 
bestowment  of  this  blessing  upon  us,  as  presenting  us 
with  that  which  cost  him  nothing.  If  the  portion 
given  by  Jacob  to  his  son  Joseph  was  heightened 
and  endeared  by  its  being  obtained  "by  the  sword 
and  the  bow,"  much  more  is  a  title  to  eternal  life, 
by  its  boing  obtained  through  the  death  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  It  is  this  that  attracts  the  hearts  of 
those  who  are  described  as  singing  a  new  song  to 
their  Redeemer :  "  Thou  wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed 
us  to  God  by  thy  blood,  out  of  every  kindred,  and 
tongue,  and  people,  and  nation." 

Let  us  select  a  particular  instance  of  ardent  love 
to  Christ  in  the  person  of  Paul.  This  apostle  seems 
to  be  swallowed  up  in  love  to  Christ.  His  mercy  to 
him,  as  one  of  the  chief  of  sinners,  had  bound  his  heart 
to  him  with  bonds  of  everlasting  gratitude.  Nor  was 
this  all ;  he  saw  that  glory  in  his  person,  office,  and 
work  which  eclipsed  the  excellence  of  all  created  ob- 
jects, which  crucified  the  world  to  him,  and  him  unto 
the  world.  "  What  things  were  gain  to  me^  those  I 
counted  loss  for  Christ.  Yea,  doubtless,  and  I  count 
all  things  but  loss,  for  the  excellency  of  the  know- 
ledge of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord,  for  whom  I  have  suf- 


PRACTICAL   SUGGESTIONS.  197 

fered  the  loss  of  all  things."  Nor  did  he  now  repent ; 
for  he  immediately  adds,  "  And  do  count  them  but 
dung,  that  I  may  win  Christ,  and  be  found  in  him ; 
not  having  mine  own  righteousness,  which  is  of  the 
law,  but  that  which  is  through  the  faith  of  Christ,  the 
righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith."  "That  I 
may  know  him,  and  the  power  of  his  resurrection,  and 
the  fellowship  of  his  sufferings,  being  made  conform- 
able unto  his  death."  When  his  friends  wept  because 
he  would  not  be  dissuaded  from  going  to  Jerusalem, 
he  answered,  "  What  mean  ye  to  weep,  and  to  break 
my  heart  ?  For  I  am  ready,  not  to  be  bound  only, 
but  also  to  die  at  Jerusalem,  for  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus."  Feeling  in  himself  an  ardent  love  to  Christ, 
he  vehemently  desired  that  others  might  love  him  too. 
For  this  cause  he  bowed  his  knees  to  the  Father  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  behalf  of  the  Ephesians; 
praying  that  Christ  might  dwell  in  their  hearts  by 
faith.  He  represented  him  to  them  as  the  medium  of 
all  spiritual  blessings ;  of  election,  adoption,  accept- 
ance with  God,  redemption,  and  the  forgiveness  of 
sins ;  of  a  future  inheritance,  and  of  a  present  earnest 
of  it ;  as  Head  over  all  things  to  the  church,  and  as 
Him  that  fiUeth  all  in  all.  He  described  him  as  the 
only  way  of  access  to  God,  and  as  the  sole  foundation 
of  a  sinner's  hope;  whose  riches  were  unsearchable, 
and  the  dimensions  of  his  love  passing  knowledge. 

I  appeal  to  your  own  hearts,  as  men  who  have  been 
brought  to  consider  yourselves  as  the  Scriptures  rep- 
resent you,  Is  there  any  thing  in  that  preaching  which 
leaves  out  the  doctrine  of  salvation  by  an  atoning  sac- 


198  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

crifice  which  can  afford  you  any  relief?  Is  it  not  like 
the  priest  and  Levite,  who  passed  by  on  the  other 
side  ?  Is  not  the  doctrine  of  atonement  by  the  blood 
of  Christ  like  the  oil  and  wine  of  the  good  Samaritan  ? 
Under  all  the  pressures  of  life,  whether  from  inward 
conflicts  or  outward  troubles,  is  not  this  your  grand 
support  ?  What  but  "  an  Advocate  with  the  Father," 
one  who  "  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins,"  could  pre- 1 
vent  you,  when  you  have  sinned  against  God,  from 
sinking  into  despondency,  and  encourage  you  to  sue 
afresh  for  mercy  ?  What  else  could  so  divest  affliction 
of  its  bitterness,  death  of  its  sting,  or  the  grave  of  its 
gloomy  aspect  ?  In  fine,  what  else  could  enable  you 
to  contemplate  a  future  judgment  with  composure  ? 
What  hope  could  you  entertain  of  being  justified  at 
that  day,  upon  any  other  foundation  than  this,  "  It  is 
Christ  that  died?" 

I  am  aware  I  may  be  told  that  this  is  appealing 
to  the  passions,  and  to  the  passions  of  enthusiasts. 
To  which  it  may  be  replied,  In  a  question  which 
relates  to  happiness,  the  heart  is  the  best  criterion ; 
and  if  it  be  enthusiasm  to  think  and  feel  concerning 
ourselves  as  the  Scriptures  represent  us,  and  con- 
cerning Christ  as  he  is  there  exhibited,  let  me  live 
and  die  an  enthusiast.  So  far  from  being  ashamed 
to  appeal  to  such  persons,  in  my  opinion  they  are 
the  only  competent  judges.  Men  of  mere  speculation 
play  with  doctrines;  it  is  the  plain  and  serious 
Christian  that  knows  most  of  their  real  tendency. 
In  a  question,  therefore,  which  concerns  their  happy 
or  unhappy  influence,  his  judgment  is  of  the  greatest 
importance. 


PRACTICAL   SUG-G-ESTIONS.  199 

It  was  by  a  believing  view  of  this  great  subject, 
that  the  apostle  Paul  counted  all  his  former  privileges 
and  attainments  loss;  and  though,  in  consequence 
of  renouncing  Judaism,  he  had  exchanged  all  his 
earthly  prospects  for  hunger  and  thirst  and  naked- 
ness and  perils  and  bitter  persecutions,  yet,  after 
thirty  years'  experience,  he  does  not  repent,  but  in 
a  tone  of  heavenly  triumph,  adds,  "  Yea,  doubtless, 
and  I  count  all  things  but  loss  for  the  excellency 
of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord." 

A  mind  thus  imbued  with  the  sacred  theme,  we 
should  think  must  have  known  much  of  Christ  al- 
ready, and  compared  with  us,  he  must ;  yet,  after  all 
that  he  had  thought  and  preached  and  written,  he 
makes  nothing  of  his  attainments,  but  adopts  the  lan- 
guage of  one  who  had  in  a  manner  every  thing  to 
learn :  "  That  I  may  know  Him,  and  the  power  of  his 
resurrection,  and  the  fellowship  of  his  sufferings,  being 
made  conformable  unto  his  death." 

The  last  of  these  vehement  desires  seems  to  be  ex- 
planatory of  some,  if  not  all  that  precede  it.  That  is, 
he  would  know  him,  and  the  power  of  his  resurrection, 
and  the  fellowship  of  his  sufferings,  as  "  being  made 
conformable  unto  his  death." 

The  sentiment  here  conveyed  appears  to  be,  that 
the  death  of  Christ  is  a  model  to  which  Christians  must 
aspire  to  he  conformed.  This  sentiment  we  shall  en- 
deavor to  illustrate  and  confirm. 

There  are  other  models  besides  the  death  of  Christ, 
but  they  are  included  in  this.  The  laiu  of  God  is  that 
t(5  which  we  must  become  conformed.  If  we  are  born 
from  above,  it  is  "  written  in  our  hearts."    But  as  one 


200  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

great  end  of  Christ's  death  was  to  honor  the  divine 
law,  not  only  in  its  precept,  but  its  penalty,  a  con- 
formity to  the  one  must  include  a  conformity  to  the 
other.  The  character  of  God  also  is  represented  as  a 
model  to  which  believers  are  conformed.  The  new 
man  is  created  "  after  God,  in  righteousness  and  true 
holiness  f  but  as  in  the  death  of  Christ  God  was  glo- 
rified in  the  highest,  a  conformity  to  this  must  be  a 
conformity  to  the  divine  character.  The  lives  of  holy 
men  are  also  held  up  for  our  imitation ;  but  as  this  is 
only  in  proportion  as  they  are  followers  of  Christ, 
a  conformity  to  him  includes  all  that  is  required  of  us 
respecting  them. 

We  shall  consider  the  death  of  Christ  in  four 
views :  namely,  in  respect  to  the  principles  on  which 
it  proceeded,  the  motives  by  which  it  was  induced, 
the  spirit  with  which  it  was  endured,  and  the  ends 
which  it  accomplished.  Under  each  of  these  views 
we  shall  find  things  to  which  we  must  be  conformed: 
Observe, 

I.  The  principles  on  which  the  death  of  Christ  pro- 
ceeded. In  them  we  shall  find  a  standard  by  which  to 
form  our  principles,  and  shall  be  able  to  judge  whether 
they  are  of  God. 

1.  The  death  of  Christ  presupposes  that  we  de- 
served to  die.  A  sense  of  this  truth  is  at  the  founda- 
tion of  all  true  religion ;  it  requires,  therefore,  that  we 
be  made  conformable  to  it.  God,  in  the  gift  of  his  Son 
to  die,  judged  us  to  have  been  worthy  of  death ;  Christ, 
in  giving  himself  to  die,  evinced  himself  to  be  of  the 
same  mind;  and  such  must  be  our  mind,  or  we  can 
have  no  interest  in  the  glorious  results.    Until  we  see 


PRACTICAL   SUaaESTIONS.  201 

and  feel  that  God  is  in  the  right,  that  we  are  in  the 
wrong,  and  that  if  he  had  cast  us  off  for  ever  it  had 
been  no  more  than  we  deserved,  we  shall  be  strangers 
to  repentance,  and  as  incapable  of  believing  in  Christ 
for  salvation  as  he  that  is  whole  is  of  appreciating 
the  value  of  a  physician. 

2.  The  death  of  Christ  presupposes  that  sin  is  ex- 
ceedingly sinful.  If  it  were  a  matter  of  small  ac- 
count, it  may  be  presumed  that  the  Father  would  not 
have  made  so  much  of  it  as  to  give  his  Son  to  be  made 
a  sacrifice  to  atone  for  it ;  and  that  the  Son  of  God 
would  not  have  laid  down  his  life  for  that  purpose. 
The  curses  of  the  law,  and  the  judgments  inflicted  at 
different  times  on  sinners,  furnished  strong  proof  of 
the  malignant  nature  of  sin ;  especially  when  the  na- 
tive goodness  of  God  is  taken  into  consideration ;  but 
the  blood  of  the  cross  furnishes  much  stronger.  It 
was  a  great  thing  for  the  Creator  to  destroy  the  work 
of  his  hands,  and  it  is  so  represented :  "  The  Lord  said, 
I  will  destroy  man  whom  I  have  created  from  the 
face  of  the  earth  f  but  to  smite  his  beloved  Son  was 
greater.  To  be  made  conformable  to  this  principle, 
we  must  not  conceive  of  sin  as  the  weakness  or  frailty 
of  human  nature,  a  mere  imperfection  which  an  infi- 
nitely benevolent  Being  must  needs  overlook.  Neither 
must  we  give  heed  to  those  systems  of  religion  which 
are  founded  upon  these  depreciating  notions,  which, 
however  they  may  flatter  us  for  the  present,  will  in 
the  end  assuredly  deceive  us. 

3.  The  death  of  Christ  presupposes  that  there  was 
nothing,  in  all  our  doings  or  sufferings,  which  could 
furnish  a  ground  of  salvation,  or  a  single  considera- 


202  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

tion  for  which  we  might  be  forgiven.  Had  it  been 
otherwise,  Christ  would  not  have  died.  Men  have 
always  been  busily  employed  in  endeavors  to  propi- 
tiate the  Deity ;  some  by  ceremonial  observances,  and 
some  by  moral;  but  instead  of  accomplishing  the 
object,  they  have  only  made  the  case  worse.  Even 
those  services  which  were  of  divine  appointment  be- 
came, in  their  hands,  offensive ;  God  was  weary  of 
their  offerings.  Christ  is  represented  as  taking  the 
work  out  of  their  hands  :  "  Sacrifice  and  offering  thou 
didst  not  desire ;  mine  ears  hast  thou  opened :  burnt- 
offering  and  sin-offering  hast  thou  not  required.  Then 
said  I,  Lo,  I  come !"  They  were,  indeed,  required  as 
duties  for  the  time,  but  not  for  the  purpose  of  making 
atonement.  Not  tears,  nor  prayers,  nor  alms,  nor 
any  other  of  our  doings,  will  avail  as  terms  of  accept- 
ance with  God.  If  we  are  conformed  to  the  death  of 
Christ,  we  shall  know  and  feel  this  to  be  the  case, 
and  shall  seek  salvation  by  grace  only,  through  the 
Mediator.  If  we  are  not  conformed  to  the  death  of 
Christ  in  this  respect,  we  have  no  reason  to  expect 
any  interest  in  it. 

4.  The  death  of  Christ  presupposes  that,  for  mercy 
to  be  exercised  in  a  way  consistent  with  the  honor  of 
God,  it  required  to  be  through  a  sacrifice  of  infinite 
value.  When  the  apostle  declares  that  "  it  was  not 
possible  that  the  blood  of  bulls  and  of  goats  should 
take  away  sins,"  he  plainly  intimates  that  the  inherent 
value  of  the  sacrifice  was  of  essential  importance  as 
to  its  effect.  If  it  were  impossible  for  animal  sacrifi- 
ces to  atone  for  sin,  it  must  be  on  account  of  their  in- 
sufficiency to  demonstrate  either  the  hatred  of  God  to 


PRACTICAL  SUaO-ESTIONS.  203 

sin  or  his  love  to  sinners ;  but  the  same  reason  would 
apply  to  the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  if  he  were  merely  a 
creature.  Hence  those  who  deny  his  divinity,  with 
perfect  consistency  deny  also  his  atonement.  But  on 
the  principles  of  his  divinity,  his  sufferings  were  of 
infinite  value ;  and  to  this  the  Scriptures  ascribe  their 
efficacy.  A  careful  reader  of  the  New  Testament 
will  perceive,  that  in  exhibiting  the  vahie  and  efficacy 
of  his  death,  it  connects  it  with  the  inherent  dignity 
of  his  person:  "Who  being  the  brightness  of  his 
glory,  and  the  express  image  of  his  person,  and  up-, 
holding  all  things  by  the  word  of  his  power,  when  he 
had  hy  himself  purged  our  sins,  sat  down  on  the  right 
hand^  of  the  Majesty  on  high."  "  We  have  a  great 
High-priest,  that  is  passed  into  the  heavens,  Jesus  the 
Son  of  God.''  "The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his  Son 
cleanseth  us  from  all  sin." 

The  result  is,  that  to  be  made  conformable  to  the 
death  of  Christ,  we  must  think  highly  of  it,  and  not 
reduce  it  to  the  death  of  a  mere  martyr.  It  is  a  seri- 
ous thing  to  make  light  of  the  Saviour,  and  of  the 
work  of  salvation :  "  He  that  despised  Moses'  law, 
died  without  mercy  under  two  or  three  witnesses ;  of 
how  much  sorer  punishment,  suppose  ye,  shall  he  be 
thought  worthy,  who  hath  trodden  under  foot  the  Son 
of  God,  and  hath  counted  the  blood  of  the  covenant, 
wherewith  he  was  sanctified,  an  unholy,"  or  common, 
"thing,  and  hath  done  despite  unto  the  Spirit  of 
grace  ?  For  we  know  Him  that  hath  said,  Vengeance 
belongeth  unto  me,  I  will  recompense,  saith  the  Lord. 
And  again,  The  Lord  shall  judge  his  people.  It  is  a 
fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living  God." 


204  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

Let  us  observe, 

II.  The  motives  by  which  the  death  of  Christ  was 
induced.  In  these  we  shall  find  a  blessed  example  to 
imitate.  They  may  all  be  summed  up  in  hve :  love  to 
God  and  men ;  love,  great,  disinterested,  and  unpar- 
alleled. 

There  never  was  such  an  example  of  the  "  love  of 
God"  as  that  which  is  furnished  by  the  obedience  and 
death  of  Christ.  It  was  his  meat  and  drink  to  do  the 
will  of  his  Father.  He  did  not  know  his  dearest  rela- 
tions, but  as  doing  his  Father's  will.  When  the  bitter 
cup  was  presented  to  him,  he  said,  "  Now  is  my  soul 
troubled ;  and  what  shall  I  say  ?  Father,  save  me  from 
this  hour ;  but  for  this  cause  came  I  unto  this  hour. 
Father,  glorify  thy  name."  What  was  this  but  ex- 
posing his  breast,  as  we  should  say,  to  the  sword  of 
justice ;  consenting  to  be  made  a  sacrifice,  that  God 
might  be  glorified  in  the  salvation  of  sinners?  It  was 
love  working  in  a  way  of  grief  which  caused  that 
affecting  exclamation,  "  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast 
thou  forsaken  me  ?"  He  could  endure  the  cross,  and 
even  despise  the  shame ;  he  could  bear  to  be  betrayed, 
denied,  and  forsaken  by  his  own  disciples ;  but  to  be 
forsaken  of  God  wounded  him  beyond  any  thing  else. 
Oh  to  be  made  conformable  to  his  death  in  these 
things:  to  love  God  so  as  to  account  it  our  meat  and 
drink  to  do  his  will ;  so  as  to  reckon  his  friends  our 
friends,  and  his  cause  om-  cause ;  to  be  willing  to  do 
any  thing,  or  suffer  any  thing,  for  his  name's  sake; 
and  to  feel  the  withholding  of  his  favor  our  severest 


As  there  never  was  such  love  to  God  as  that  which 


PRACTICAL  SUaGESTIONS.  205 

was  manifested  by  Christ,  so  neither  was  there  ever 
such  love  to  men.  "  He  loved  ns,  and  gave  himself  ioT 
us — loved  us,  and  washed  us  from-  our  sins  in  his  own 
blood"  The  love  of  creatures  is  ordinarily  founded  on 
something  lovely  in  the  object,  but  Christ  died  for  us 
while  we  were  yet  enemies.  To  be  made  conformable 
to  his  death  in  this,  is  to  bear  good-will  to  men,  to 
seek  their  present  and  everlasting  welfare  in  every 
way  that  is  within  our  power ;  and  this  notwithstand- 
ing the  unloveliness  of  their  character  and  conduct : 
"  Do  good  to  them  that  hate  you,  and  pray  for  them 
which  despitefuUy  use  you,  and  persecute  you."  Un- 
believers who  know  no  principle  superior  to  self-love, 
have  represented  this  precept  of  our  Lord  as  unnatu- 
ral and  extravagant.  Yet  they  themselves  are  daily 
partaking  of  his  bounty,  who  causeth  his  sun  to  rise 
on  the  evil  and  the  good,  and  his  rain  to  descend  on 
the  just  and  on  the  unjust.  If  they  were  the  children 
of  that  Being  whom  they  acknowledge,  they  would  in 
some  degree  resemble  him.  Such  was  the  example  of 
Jesus,  and  such  must  be  ours,  if  we  be  made  conform- 
able to  him. 

Let  us  observe, 

III.  The  spirit  with  which  the  sufferings  and  death  of 
Christ  were  endured.  In  this  we  shall  find  a  model  for 
our  spirit.  The  Lord  Jesus  was  possessed  of  all  the 
original  passions  of  human  nature,  as  love,  joy,  sor- 
row, grief,  anger,  indignation,  etc.  When  reproached 
and  injured,  he  felt  it ;  his  enduring  the  cross,  and  de- 
spising the  shame,  was  not  owing  to  his  being  insen- 
sible to  either,  but  to  "  the  joy  that  was  set  before 
him."    The  purity  of  his  nature  did  not  extinguish  its 


206  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

passions,  but  rendered  them  su|)ordmate  to  the  will  of 
his  Father.  With  the  greatest  sensibility  to  reproach 
and  injury,  he  was  meek  and  lowly  of  heart.  Under 
all  the  reproaches  and  false  accusations  that  were  pre- 
ferred against  him  on  his  trial,  he  preserved  a  dignified 
silence ;  not  a  word  was  uttered  tending  to  save  his 
life :  but  when  questioned  on  the  truth  of  his  Messiah- 
ship,  he  with  equal  dignity  and  firmness  avowed  it, 
though  he  knew  the  avowal  would  cost  him  his  life. 
Nor  did  the  contradiction  and  abuse  which  he  received 
from  his  executioners  extinguish  his  compassion  tow- 
ards them :  while  they  were  nailing  him  to  the  cross 
he  prayed,  saying,  "Father,  forgive  them;  for  they 
know  not  what  they  do." 

If  we  observe  the  spirit  of  the  apostles,  we  shall 
find  them  to  have  made  him  their  pattern :  "  Being 
reviled,  we  bless;  being  persecuted,  we  suffer  it; 
being  defamed,  we  entreat ;  we  are  made  as  the  filth 
of  the  world,  and  the  off-scouring  of  all  things,  unto 
this  day."  There  appears  to  have  been  a  holy  emula- 
tion in  the  apostle  Paul  to  be  a  follower  of  his  Lord, 
even  unto  death.  In  all  that  befell  him,  he  kept  his 
eye  on  Christ :  "If  we  suffer,  we  shall  also  reign  with 
him."  "  We  are  troubled  on  every  side,  yet  not  dis- 
tressed ;  perplexed,  but  not  in  despair ;  persecuted, 
but  not  forsaken;  cast  down,  but  not  destroyed; 
always  bearing  about  in  the  body  the  dying  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  that  the  life  also  of  Jesus  might  be  made 
manifest  in  our  body.  For  we  which  live  are  always 
delivered  unto  death  for  Jesus'  sake,  that  the  life  also 
of  Jesus  might  be  made  manifest  in  our  mortal  flesh." 
Such  was  that  conformity  to  the  death  of  Christ,  after 


PRACTICAL  SUGGESTIONS.  207 

which  he  panted  with  the  most  vehement  desire. 
Nothing  was  further  from  his  thoughts  than  partak- 
ing with  him  in  the  work  of  redemption ;  but  so  far 
as  fellowship  in  his  sufferings  was  admissible,  it  was 
the  object  of  his  most  ardent  desire.  Oh  to  be  thus 
made  like  him,  and  like  his  faithful  followers ! 

In  view  of  this  grand  doctrine  and  its  results,  let 
the  constant  theme  of  Christian  ministers  be  "  Jesus 
Christ,  and  him  crucified." 

Exhibit  his  divinity  and  glorious  character.  The 
New  Testament  dwells  much  on  his  being  the  Son  of 
God — equal  with  God.  It  was  this  that  heightened 
the  gift  of  him.  John  3:16.  Hence  the  efficacy  of  his 
blood.  1  John,  1:7.  Hence  the  condescension  of  his 
obedience,  and  the  dignity  of  his  priesthood.  He- 
brews 4  :  14-16.  Hence  the  greatness  of  the  sin  of  re- 
jecting him,  John  3  :  18 ;  and  of  apostasy.    Heb.  10 : 9. 

Hold  up  his  atonement  and  mediation  as  the  only 
ground  of  a  sinner's  hope.  It  is  the  work  of  a  Chris- 
tian minister  to  beat  off  self-righteous  hope,  which  is 
natural  to  depraved  man,  and  to  direct  his  hearers  to 
the  only  hope  set  before  them  in  the  gospel.  Be  not 
concerned  merely  to  form  the  manners  of  your  con- 
gregation, but  bring  them  to  Christ.  That  will  best 
form  their  manners.  The  apostles  had  no  directions 
short  of  this:  "Repent,  and  believe  the  gospel." 
They  never  employed  themselves  in  lopping  off  the 
branches  of  sin,  but  laid  the  axe  to  the  root.  Your 
business  with  the  sins  of  mankind  is,  to  make  use  of 
them  to  convince  your  hearers  of  the  corruption  of 
their  nature,  and  their  need  of  a  radical  cure. 


208  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

Hold  up  the  blessings  of  his  salvation  for  accept- 
ance, even  to  the  chief  of  sinners.  "  This  is  a  faithful 
saying,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ 
Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners ;  of  whom  I 
am  chief."  The  gospel  is  a  feast,  and  you  are  to 
invite  guests.  You  may  meet  with  many  excuses  and 
refusals;  but  be  you  concerned  to  do  as  your  Lord 
commands.  And  when  you  have  done  your  utmost, 
there  will  still  be  room.  Dwell  on  the  freeness  and 
fulness  and  all-sufficiency  of  his  grace,  and  how  wel- 
come even  the  worst  sinners  are,  who,  renouncing  all 
other  refuges,  flee  to  him. 

Never,  brethren,  let  us  forget  that  the  person  and 
work  of  Christ  must  be  the  leading  theme  of  our 
ministry.  In  this,  if  we  be  Christians,  we  have  be- 
lieved; and  this  we  must  preach  to  others.  We 
must  preach  him  as  divine.  How  else  could  we  know 
whom  we  had  believed?  We  must  preach  him  as 
having  assumed  our  nature,  and  thereby  qualified 
himself  to  be  our  Saviour.  Heb.  2  :  14, 15.  We  must 
preach  him  as  dying  for  our  sins,  etc.  1  Cor.  15  : 1-4. 
We  must  preach  him  as  the  Saviour  of  the  lost, 
taking  the  place  of  the  chief  of  sinners.  We  must 
preach  him  as  the  only  way  of  acceptance  with  God. 
"  Being  justified  freely  by  his  grace,  we  have  peace 
with  God,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  In  short, 
he  is  suited  to  all  our  wants.  To  whom  else  shall  we 
go?  He  hath  the  words  of  eternal  life.  So  preach 
Christ. 

Every  sermon,  more  or  less,  should  have  some 
relation  to  Christ,  and  bear  on  his  person  or  work. 


PRACTICAL  SUa&ESTIONS.  209 

This  is  the  life  of  all  doctrine,  and  it  will  be  our  own 
fault  if  it  is  dry.  Do  not  consider  it  as  one  subject 
among  others,  but  as  that  which  involves  all  others, 
and  gives  them  an  interest  they  could  not  otherwise 
possess.  Preach  not  only  the  truth,  but  all  truth,  "  as 
in  Jesus."  However  ingenious  our  sermons  may  be, 
unless  they  bear  on  Christ,  and  lead  the  mind  to  Christ, 
we  do  not  preach  the  faith  of  the  gospel. 

Again  we  repeat,  that  the  doctrine  we  teach 
must  be  that  of  Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified.  The 
person  and  work  of  Christ  have  ever  been  the  corner- 
stone of  the  Christian  fabric :  take  away  his  divinity 
and  atonement,  and  all  will  go  to  ruin.  This  is  the 
doctrine  taught  by  the  apostles,  and  which  God  in  all 
ages  has  delighted  to  honor.  It  would  be  found,  I 
believe,  on  inquiry,  that  in  those  times  wherein  this 
doctrine  has  been  most  cordially  embraced  the  church 
has  been  most  prosperous,  and  that  almost  every  de- 
clension has  been  accompanied  by  a  neglect  of  it. 
This  was  the  doctrine  by  which  the  Reformation  was 
effected;  and  to  what  is  the  Reformation  come  in 
those  communities  where  it  is  rejected?  This  was 
the  leading  theme  of  the  puritans,  non-conformists,  and 
pilgrim  fathers ;  and  what  are  their  descendants  be- 
come who  have  renounced  it?  Many  of  them  rank 
with  infidels,  and  many  who  retain  the  form  of  Chris- 
tianity deny  the  power  thereof. 

If  it  be  alleged  that  the  church  of  Rome  retains 
this  doctrine  amidst  its  greatest  apostasy,  and  some 
Protestant  churches  do  the  same,  which,  notwithstand- 
ing, have  exceedingly  degenerated ;  I  answer,  it  is 
one  thing  for  a  community  to  retain  doctrines  in  its 


210  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

decrees  and  articles,  and  another  for  ministers  to 
preach  them  with  faith  and  love  in  their  ordinary- 
labors.  Divine  truth  requires  to  be  written  not 
merely  with  ink  and  paper,  but  by  the  Spirit  of  God 
upon  the  fleshly  tables  of  the  heart.  If  the  church  of 
Rome  had  retained  the  doctrine  of  Christ's  divinity 
to  any  purpose,  its  members  would  have  worshipped 
him,  and  not  have  turned  aside  to  the  adoration  of 
saints  and  relics ;  and  if  his  atoning  blood  and  only 
mediation  between  God  and  man  had  been  properly 
regarded,  we  had  never  heard  of  mediators,  pardons, 
and  penances  of  another  kind. 

Christ  crucified  is  the  central  point,  in  which  all 
the  lines  of  evangelical  truth  meet  and  are  united. 
There  is  not  a  doctrine  in  the  Scriptures  but  what 
bears  an  important  relation  to  it.  Would  we  under- 
stand the  glory  of  the  divine  character  and  government  ? 
It  is  seen  in  perfection  "in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ." 
Would  we  learn  the  evil  of  sin,  and  our  perishing 
condition  as  sinners?  Each  is  manifested  in  his  suf- 
ferings. All  the  blessings  of  grace  and  glory  are 
given  us  in  him,  and  for  his  sake.  Practical  religion 
finds  its  most  powerful  motives  in  his  dying  love. 
That  doctrine  of  which  Christ  is  not  the  sum  and  sub- 
stance is  not  the  gospel;  and  that  morality  which 
has  no  relation  to  him,  and  which  is  not  enforced  on 
evangelical  principles,  is  not  Christian,  but  heathen. 

I  do  not  mean  to  be  the  apologist  for  that  fastid- 
ious disposition  apparent  in  some  hearers,  who  require 
that  every  sermon  shall  have  Christ  for  its  immediate 
theme,  and  denominate  every  thing  else  legal  preach- 
ing.    His  sacred  name  ought  not  to  be  unnaturally 


PRACTICAL   SUGGESTIONS.  211 

forced  into  our  discourses,  nor  the  holy  Scriptures 
turned  into  allegory  for  the  sake  of  introducing  it; 
but  in  order  to  preach  Christ,  there  is  no  need  of 
this.  If  all  scripture  doctrines  and  duties  bear  a 
relation  to  him,  we  have  only  to  keep  that  relation  in 
view,  and  to  urge  practical  religion  upon  those  prin- 
ciples. If  I  leave  out  Christ  in  a  sermon,  and  allege 
that  the  subject  did  not  admit  of  his  being  intro- 
duced, I  fear  it  will  only  prove  that  my  thoughts 
have  not  been  cast  in  an  evangelical  mould.  I  might 
as  well  say  there  is  a  village  which  has  no  road  to 
the  metropolis,  as  that  there  is  a  scripture  doctrine 
or  duty  which  has  no  relation  to  the  person  and  work 
of  Christ.  Neither  can  I  justly  allege  that  such  a 
way  of  preaching  would  cramp  the  powers  of  my  soul, 
and  confine  me  to  four  or  five  points  in  divinity :  we 
may  give  the  utmost  scope  to  our  minds,  and  yet, 
like  the  apostle,  determine  to  know  nothing  but  Jesus 
Christ  and  him  crucified.  There  is  breadth  and 
length  and  depth  and  height  sufficient  in  his  love 
to  occupy  our  powers,  even  though  they  were  ten 
thousand  times  larger  than  they  are. 

In  all  our  labors,  brethren,  in  the  church  or  in  the 
world,  in  our  native  country  or  among  the  heathen, 
be  this  our  principal  theme.  In  this  case,  and  not 
otherwise,  the  Lord  will  delight  in  us,  will  bring  us 
into  the  land,  and  give  it  us  for  a  possession. 

Let  us  close  by  considering  the  woes  denounced 
upon  them  who  reject  this  great  salvation.  "  If  any 
man  love  not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  let  him  be 
Anathema  Maran-atha."  1  Cor.  16  :  22. 


212  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

The  sentence  here  pronounced  is  awful.  "  Let  him 
be  accursed  when  the  Lord  cometh."  It  probably 
alludes  to  the  Jewish  excommunications,  which  they 
tell  us  were  of  three  sorts,  or  degrees.  In  the  lirst, 
the  offender  was  put  out  of  the  synagogue,  or  merely 
excommunicated ;  in  the  second,  he  was  not  only  ex- 
communicated, but  anathematized,  or  cursed  ;  in  the 
third,  which  was  only  for  the  worst  and  most  incor- 
rigible persons,  he  was  not  only  anathematized,  but 
consigned  over  ^to  the  judgment  of  the  great  day. 
The  meaning  of  the  word  here  seems  to  be.  Let  him 
be  excommunicated  from  the  presence  of  God  and  all 
holy  beings ;  and  as  he  did  not  love  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  as  a  Saviour,  let  him  fall  before  him  as  a 
Judge.  This  sentence,  however  awful,  is  strictly 
equitable.  The  truth  of  this  will  appear  by  the  joint 
consideration  of  three  things. 

I.  He  who  loves  not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  must 
be  an  enemy  to  God^  to  virtue,  and  to  all  moral  excellence. 
Such  a  oneness  is  there  between  God  as  a  Lawgiver 
and  Christ  as  a  Saviour,  that  what  is  done  to  the  one 
is  done  to  the  other.  The  Jews,  in  our  Saviour's  time, 
wished  to  be  thought  friends  to  God,  while  they  were 
enemies  to  Christ ;  but,  "  if  God  .were  your  Father," 
saith  he,  "  ye  would  love  me."  And  again,  "  I  know 
you,  that  ye  have  not  the  love  of  God  in  you.  I  am 
come  in  my  Father's  name,  and  ye  receive  me  not." 
The  same  thing  is  observable  now  among  deists,  who 
would  be  thought  friends  to  the  one  Supreme  Being, 
but  enemies  to  Christianity.  And  indeed  this  deisti- 
cal  spirit  seems  greatly  to  prevail  in  multitudes  who 
are  not  professed  deists,  especially  among  some  in  the 


PRACTICAL  SUGGESTIONS.  213 

higher  ranks  of  society,  who,  though  they  can  now  and 
then  assume  so  much  fortitude  as  to  speak  respectfully 
of  the  Supreme  Being,  yet  would  be  ashamed  that  a 
word  should  be  heard  froni  their  lips  in  defence  of 
Christ  or  Christianity.  It  were  to  be  wished,  too, 
that  none  of  those  who  sustain  the  character  of  Chris- 
tian ministers  had  ever  discovered  the  same  spirit. 
This  is  very  awful.  But  whatever  we  may  think  here, 
and  whatever  character  we  may  sustain,  it  will  be 
found  at  last  that  "whosoever  denieth  the  Son,  the 
same  hath  not  the  Father.^' 

1.  If  any  man  love  not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  he 
can  have  no  regard  to  the  authority  of  God  as  a  Law- 
giver, seeing  it  was  this  that  he  came  into  the  world 
to  maintain.  When  devils  had  cast  off  God's  yoke  as 
grievous,  and  practically  declared  him  a  tyrant ;  and 
men  had  followed  their  example,  judging  it  too  mean 
a  thing,  it  seems,  for  ever  to  be  so  kept  under  rule ; 
then  the  Son  of  God  came  down,  and  in  the  presence  • 
of  these  revolters,  was  subject  to  the  very  law  which 
they  had  discarded.  Though  he  was  under  no  natural 
obligation  to  come  under  the  law,  yet,  that  he  might 
show  how  worthy  he  thought  it  of  being  obeyed,  and 
thus  wipe  off  the  foul  reproach,  "he  learned  obe- 
dience." Yea,  that  it  might  be  seen  how  "  easy  "  a 
yoke  it  was,  and  thence  the  unreasonableness  and  wick- 
edness of  their  revolt,  he  declared,  whatever  others 
might  think,  it  was  his  "meat  to  do  the  will  of  his  Fa- 
ther." If  any  man,  therefore,  love  not  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  he  cannot  love  the  law  of  God,  but  must  be  of 
Satan's  mind,  accounting  it  a  severe  law,  and  obedience 
to  it  slavery  ;  and  thus  he  must  be  an  enemy  to  God. 


214  ATONEMENT  OF  CHUIST. 

2.  If  any  man  love  not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  he 
can  have  no  regard  to  the  honor  of  God's  justice  be- 
ing secured.  If  we  had  a  proper  regard  to  the  justice 
of  God,  we  could  not  bear  the  thought  of  salvation 
itself  being  erected  upon  its  ruins.  To  desire  such  a 
thing  would  be  nothing  less  than  desiring  to  depose 
the  King  of  the  universe,  for  justice  and  judgment 
are  the  basis  of  his  throne.  If  a  fallen  creature  loved 
God,  and  could  see  no  way  for  his  own  salvation  but 
what  must  be  at  the  expense  of  truth  and  equity,  his 
soul  must  be  filled  with  inexpressible  distress.  If  the 
way  of  salvation  by  Jesus  Christ  were  then  to  be 
preached  to  him — a  way  wherein,  through  his  glorious 
sacrifice,  God  could  be  just,  and  the  justifier  of  him 
that  believed  in  Jesus — how  would  his  spirit  revive 
within  him.  With  what  joy  of  heart  would  he  ac- 
quiesce in  a  plan  wherein  mercy  and  truth  could  meet 
together.  The  more  he  loved  God,  the  more  he  would 
love  Him  who  out  of  love  to  equity  invited  the  sword 
of  vengeance  to  plunge  itself  in  his  heart,  saying, 
"Father,  glorify  thy  name."  But  if  Christ  and  his 
way  of  salvation  have  no  charms  in  our  eyes — if  we 
would  barely  wish  to  be  justified,  that  is,  freed  from 
condemnation,  but  care  not  how;  and  think,  as  to 
God  being  just  therein,  he  must  see  to  that — is  it  not 
evident  that  we  have  no  love  to  God,  truth,  or  right- 
eousness ? 

3.  If  any  man  love  not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  he 
gives  proof  that  God's  grand  enemy  being  defeated, 
and  all  his  counsels  turned  into  foolishness,  afi'ords 
him  no  pleasure ;  and  consequently  he  can  be  no  friend 
of  God,  but  an  enemy.     If  we  love  our  prince,  we 


PRACTICAL  SUG-aESTIONS.  215 

shall  rejoice  at  his  enemies  being  overthrown,  and 
admire  that  noble  commander  who,  by  hazarding  his 
life  in  the  high  places  of  the  field,  should  put  them  to 
confusion.  If  any  monster  had  been  so  unfeeling,  in 
the  day  when  David  slew  Goliath  and  saved  Israel,  as 
to  have  had  no  love  to  the  young  hero,  would  he  not 
have  been  deemed  an  enemy  to  his  king  and  country, 
and  suspected  of  being  on  the  side  of  the  Philistines  ? 
Now,  as  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  entered  the  field,  and 
with  his  own  arm  spoiled  principalities  and  powers, 
broke  the  serpent's  head,  routed  his  forces,  and  ruined 
his  scheme,  if  we  love  not  him,  whatever  we  may  pre- 
tend, we  must  be  enemies  to  God,  and  on  the  side  of 
Satan. 

4.  In  short,  if  any  man  love  not  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  he  must  be  an  enemy  to  all  moral  excellence ; 
for  of  this  he  was  a  perfect  model,  both  living  and 
dying.  God  himself  hath  borne  witness  of  him  that 
"he  loved  righteousness,  and  hated  iniquity."  He 
lived  to  set  forth  the  amiableness  of  the  one,  and  died 
that  God  in  him  might  show  his  abhorrence  of  the 
other.  He  lived  and  died  that  God's  character  in 
saving  sinners  might  be  untainted  with  moral  turpi- 
tude. It  may  well  therefore  be  said  of  him,  "  The  up- 
right love  thee."  Christ  is  the  sum  and  centre  of  all 
excellence.  Perhaps  we  cannot  form  a  better  idea  of 
him  than  as  an  assemblage  of  all  goodness,  a  Being  in 
whom  all  excellences  meet.  To  have  no  love  to  him, 
then,  is  to  have  no  love  to  moral  excellence,  and  so  to 
be  an  enemy  to  all  good.  Such  a  person  surely  de- 
serves to  be  anathematized  from  God  and  all  holy 
beings. 


216  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

.  II.  He  who  loves  not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  must 
be  an  enemy  to  mankind.  Perhaps  it  might  be  asked, 
Cannot  people  be  possessed  of  humanity  without  being 
the  subjects  of  Christianity  ?  It  is  answered.  No,  not 
in  the  full  extent  of  that  term.  It  is  not  denied  but 
that  people  may  wish  well  to  each  other's  temporal 
interests — may  wish  to  promote  their  health  and 
wealth  and  reputation — may  live  in  friendship  with 
mankind,  and  be  of  a  compassionate  spirit  to  the 
poor — and  may  have  no  design  in  what  they  do  to 
destroy  the  soul.  But  all  this  is  no  more  than  an 
over-indulgent  parent  may  feel,  who  yet  interpreta- 
tively,  by  sparing  the  rod,  is  said  to  hate  his  son ;  and 
it  is  common  to  say,  in  such  cases,  the  parent  was  the 
child's  enemy.  Yea,  it  is  very  little,  if  any  thing, 
more  than  thieves  and  robbers  may  exercise  towards 
their  comrades.  Here  is  one  of  that  character,  for 
instance,  draws  a  young  man  into  his  practices :  he 
has  no  intention  to  bring  him  to  the  gallows,  or  him- 
self either ;  and  he  may  wish  his  health  and  prosperity, 
and  pity  and  relieve  him  in  distress.  All  •  this  is 
good ;  but  could  it  appear  from  this  that  he  was  not 
his  enemy  in  setting  him  against  his  own  interests, 
and  seducing  him  away  from  his  best  friends  ?  Is  he 
not  his  en£my  ?    But  to  come  nearer  to  the  point : 

The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the  best  Friend  to  man- 
kind that  ever  existed:  if  therefore  any  man  bear 
true  love  to  the  souls  of  men,  and  seek  their  real  wel- 
fare, it  is  impossible  but  that  he  should  love  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  We  should  deem  him  an  enemy  to 
mankind  who,  if  a  skilful  and  generous  physician 
came  into  our  parts  and  healed  all  gratis  who  applied 


PRACTICAL  SUGGESTIONS.  217 

to  him,  should  endeavor  to  prejudice  the  minds  of  peo- 
ple against  him.  An  enemy  to  Joseph,  who  was  the 
saviour  of  Egypt  and  the  adjacent  countries,  would 
have  been  deemed  an  enemy  to  mankind.  But  what 
were  these  ?  Christ  has  healed  the  tremendous  breach 
between  God  and  man,  has  rescued  millions  and  mill- 
ions from  eternal  ruin,  and  is  still  "  able  and  willing 
to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  them  that  come  unto  God 
by  him."  If  any  man  therefore  love  not  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  surely  he  deserves,  as  an  enemy  to  the 
public  good,  to  be  excommunicated  from  the  society 
of  the  blessed. 

But  may  there  not  be  a  neutrality  exercised  in 
this  affair  ?  If  some  do  not  love  Christ,  does  it  fol- 
low that  such  are  his  enemies?  Yes,  it  does.  This 
is  a  cause  wherein  the  idea  of  neutrality  is  inadmissi- 
ble and  impossible.  They  that  are  not  with  him  are 
declared  to  be  against  him. 

III.  He  who  loves  not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  must 
be  an  enemy  to  himself.  To  be  an  enemy  to  Christ  is 
to  be  guilty  of  the  most  awful  kind  of  suicide.  "All 
they  that  hate  him  "  are  said  to  "  love  death."  Christ 
is  the  only  door  of  hope  for  any  lost  sinner ;  to  hate 
him,  therefore,  is  to  hate  ourselves.  Had  Naaman 
continued  to  despise  the  waters  of  Jordan,  people 
would  have  thought  that  he  had  no  love  for  himself. 
If  a  company  of  unhappy  men  who  had  escaped  a 
shipwreck  were  in  an  open  boat  at  sea,  and  if,  on  the 
appearance  of  a  friendly  vessel  bearing  down  upon 
them,  they  were  so  infatuated  that,  instead  of  implor- 
ing assistance,  they  should  treat  it  with  every  mark 
of  indignity  and  contempt,  we  should  say,  they  love 

Atoncmpiit  1  0 


218  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

death — they  deserve  to  perish.  If  the  power  of 
Christ's  anger  be  considered,  it  will  amount  to  the 
same  thing.  For  a  man  to  rouse  a  lion  would  seem 
as  if  he  were  weary  of  his  life ;  much  more  to  pro- 
voke the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah.  Of  Him  it  may 
well  be  said,  "  Who  shall  rouse  him  up  ?" 

If  a  person  then  be  an  enemy  to  God,  to  mankind, 
and  to  himself,  surely  it  is  but  right  he  should  be 
excommunicated  from  the  society  of  God  and  all  holy 
beings,  as  an  enemy  to  being  in  general.  Surely  he 
that  loves  not  God  ought  to  be  accursed  from  God; 
he  that  loves  not  mankind  ought  to  be  banished,  to 
take  his  lot  among  devils,  as  we  should  banish  a  mur- 
derer from  the  society  of  men ;  and  he  that  loves  not 
himself,  but  seeks  his  own  ruin,  ought  to  find  it. 

Upon  the  whole,  if  these  thoughts  be  just,  the  dis- 
tinction has  been  made  without  ground,  that  sinners 
will  not  be  punished  for  their  not  loving  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  but  only  for  the  breach  of  God's  law ; 
as  if  the  want  of  love  to  Christ  were  not  a  breach 
of  the  law.  So  far  from  this,  it  is  such  a  breach  of 
it  as  perhaps  cannot  be  equalled  by  any  other  case 
whatever.  It  is  at  once  a  breach  of  the  whole  law, 
and  that  in  the  highest  degree.  What  doth  the  law 
require,  but  love  to  God,  love  to  our  neighbor,  and 
love  to  ourselves  ?  These  are  the  whole  of  what  is 
included  in  that  summary  given  of  it  by  our  Lord ; 
and  these  we  have  seen  are  all  broken,  and  that  in 
the  highest  degree,  in  the  want  of  love  to  Christ. 

Oh  how  is  it  that  we  are  not  all  excommunicated 
and  accursed  of  God  ?  Are  we  better  than  others  ? 
No,  in  no  wise.     God  might  justly  have  banished  us 


PRACTICAL  SUaaESTIONS.  219 

from  the  abodes  of  the  blessed.  It  is  all  of  grace, 
free,  sovereign,  and  great  grace,  if  we  are  brought  to 
love  him,  and  so  escape  the  awful  curse ;  and  for  this 
we  can  never  be  sufficiently  thankful. 

0  thoughtless  sinner,  trifle  no  longer  with  Christ 
and  your  souls,  trifle  not  longer  with  the  murder  of 
time,  so  short  and  uncertain  in  its  duration;  the 
morning  of  your  existence;  the  mould  in  which  you 
receive  an  impression  for  eternity;  the  only  period 
in  which  the  Son  of  man  has  power  to  forgive  sins. 
Should  the  remaining  part  of  your  life  pass  away  in 
the  same  careless  manner  as  that  has  which  has  al- 
ready elapsed,  what  bitter  reflection  must  needs  fol- 
low. How  dreadful  it  must  be  to  look  back  on  all 
the  means  of  salvation  as  gone  for  ever ;  the  harvest 
past,  the  summer  ended,  and  you  not  saved ! 

Suppose  a  company,  at  the  time  of  low  water, 
should  take  an  excursion  upon  the  sands  near  the  sea- 
shore; suppose  yourself  of  the  company ;  suppose  that, 
on  a  presumption  of  the  tide's  not  returning  at  present, 
you  should  all  fall  asleep ;  suppose  all  the  company, 
except  yourself,  to  awake  out  of  their  sleep,  and  find- 
ing their  danger,  endeavor  to  awake  you,  and  to  per- 
suade you  to  flee  with  them  for  your  life ;  but  you,  like 
the  sluggard,  are  for  "  a  little  more  sleep,  and  a  little 
more  slumber :"  the  consequence  is,  your  companions 
escape,  but  you  are  left  behind  to  perish  in  the  waters, 
which,  regardless  of  all  your  cries,  rise  and  overwhelm 
you.  What  a  situation  would  this  be.  How  would 
you  curse  that  love  of  sleep  which  made  you  refuse  to 
be  awaked — that  delaying  temper  which  wanted  to 


220  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST. 

indulge  a  little  longer.  But  what  is  this  situation 
compared  with  that  of  a  lost  soul  ?  There  will  come 
a  period  when  the  bottom  of  the  ocean  would  be 
deemed  a  refuge ;  when,  to  be  crushed  under  falling 
rocks  and  mountains,  instead  of  being  viewed  with 
terror  as  heretofore,  will  be  earnestly  desired;  yes, 
desired,  but  desired  in  vain.  The  sinner  who  has 
neglected  the  great  salvation  will  not  be  able  to  "  es- 
cape," nor  hide  himself  "from  the  face  of  Him  that 
sitteth  upon  the  throne,"  nor  from  "  the  wrath  of  the 
Lamb." 

Consider  your  condition  without  delay.  God  says 
to  you.  To-day  if  ye  will  hear  his  voice,  harden  not 
your  hearts.  To-day  may  be  the  only  day  you  have  to 
live.  Enter  the  closet,  and  shut  to  the  door ;  confess 
your  sins;  implore  mercy  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ ;  "  kiss  the  Son,  lest  he  be  angry,  and  ye  perish 
from  the  way,  when  his  wrath  is  kindled  but  a  little. 
Blessed  are  all  they  that  put  their  trust  in  him." 


THE 


DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


CHAPTEK    YIII. 

THE  NATURE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

The  apostle  Paul,  when  writing  to  the  Christian 
church  at  Rome,  speaking  of  the  love  of  God  towards 
those  who  believe  in  his  word,  says,  that  they  are 
"justified  freely  by  his  grace,  through  the  redemption 
that  is  in  Christ  Jesus."     Rom.  3  :  24. 

The  doctrine  expressed  in  this  passage  runs  through 
the  epistle,  and  constitutes  the  scope  of  it.  It  is  taught 
in  many  other  parts  of  Scripture,  but  here  it  is  estab- 
lished by  a  connected  body  of  evidence.  Both  hea- 
thens and  Jews  are  proved  to  be  under  sin,  and  con- 
sequently incapable  of  being  justified  by  a  righteous 
God  on  the  ground  of  their  own  obedience.  As  to 
the  former,  they  were  wicked  in  the  extreme.  If  any 
thing  could  have  been  alleged  in  excuse  of  them,  it 
had  been  their  ignorance;  but  even  this  failed.  They 
had  means  of  knowledge  sufficient  to  render  them 
"without  excuse;"  but  having  neglected  them,  and 
cast  off  God,  he  gave  them  up  to  their  own  corrupt 
affections  and  propensities;  so  that  even  the  philo- 
sophic Greeks  and  Romans  were  "  full  of  all  ungodli- 


222  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

ness  and  unrighteousness,  holding,"  or  rather  with- 
holding, "the  truth,"  which  they  understood  above 
the  common  people,  "in  unrighteousness."  But  if 
heathens  could  not  be  justified,  yet  did  not  they  who 
had  the  oracles  of  God  stand  on  higher  ground  ?  Not 
so ;  for  those  very  oracles  describe  men  as  "  all  gone 
out  of  the  way,"  as  having  become  "  unprofitable,"  as 
none  of  them  "doing  good,  no,  not  one;"  and  what 
revelation  says,  it  says  of  them  who  were  under  the 
light  of  it.  Israel,  therefore,  was  a  part  of  the  cor- 
rupt mass.  The  sum  is,  Every  mouth  is  stopped,  and 
all  the  world  become  guilty  before  .God.  By  the 
deeds  of  the  law  no  flesh  living  can  be  justified  in  his 
sight. 

These  sentiments,  contained  in  the  first  three  chap- 
ters of  the  epistle,  make  way  for  the  interesting  state- 
ment, "  But  now  the  righteousness  of  God  without 
the  law  is  manifested,  being  witnessed  by  the  law  and 
the  prophets ;  even  the  righteousness  of  God,  which  is 
by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ  unto  all  and  upon  all  them 
that  believe ;  for  there  is  no  difference :  for  all  have 
sinned,  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God :  being 
justified  freely  by  his  grace,  through  the  redemption 
which  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  whom  God  hath  set  forth  to 
be  a  propitiation  through  faith  in  his  blood,  to  declare 
his  righteousness  for  the  remission  of  sins  that  are 
past,  through  the  forbearance  of  God ;  to  declare,  I 
say,  at  this  time  his  righteousness :  that  he  might  be 
just,  and  the  justifier  of  him  who  believeth  in  Jesus." 

I  call  this  an  interesting  statement ;  for  of  all  the 
questions  that  can  occupy  the  human  mind,  there  is 
none  of  greater  importance  than  that  which  relates  to 


NATURE  OF  JUSTIFICATION.  223 

the  way  of  acceptance  with  God.  We  learn  from  our 
own  consciences,  as  well  as  from  the  Scriptures,  that 
we  are  accountable  creatures ;  but  how  we  shall  stand 
before  the  holy  Lord  God,  is  a  question  that  over- 
whelms us.  If  there  were  no  hope  from  the  gospel, 
we  must  despair.  We  must  appear  before  the  judg- 
ment-seat, but  it  would  be  only  to  be  convicted  and 
condemned.  The  doctrine,  therefore,  that  shows  a 
way  in  which  God  can  be  just,  and  yet  a  justifier, 
must  be  interesting  beyond  expression.  This  is,  in 
substance,  the  good  news  to  be  proclaimed  to  every 
creature. 

Justification  by  grace  has  been  thought  by  some 
to  be  inconsistent  with  justification  through  the.atone- 
ment  and  righteousness  of  Christ.  Yet  it  is  here  ex- 
pressly said  to  be  of  grace ;  and  as  though  that  were 
not  enough,  freely  by  grace :  nor  is  the  sacred  writer 
less  express  concerning  its  meritorious  cause,  than 
concerning  its  source  or  origin:  it  was  not  only  of 
free  grace,  but  "  through  the  redemption  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus." 

In  every  kind  of  justification  in  which  justice  is 
regarded,  there  is  some  ground,  or  reason,  for  the  pro- 
ceeding. In  ordinary  cases  among  men,  this  ground, 
or  reason,  is  found  in  the  character  of  the  prisoner. 
He  is  considered  as  innocent,  and  therefore  is  ac- 
quitted. In  the  justification  of  a  sinner  by  the  Judge 
of  all,  it  is  "  the  redemption  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus." 
That  which  innocence  is  to  the  one,  the  redemption  of 
Christ  is  to  the  other :  it  is  his  righteotcsness,  or  that 
in  consideration  of  which,  being  imputed  to  him,  lie  is 
justified. 


224  doctrine  of  justification. 

Let  us  endeavor  to  ascertain  the  meaning  op 
THE  term  justification.  Many  errors  on  this  impor- 
tant subject  may  be  expected  to  have  arisen  from  the 
want  of  a  clear  view  of  the  thing  itself.  Till  we  under- 
stand what  justification  is,  we  cannot  affirm  or  deny 
any  thing  concerning  it,  but  with  great  uncertainty. 

It  is  not  the  making  a  person  righteous  by  an  in- 
herent change  from  sin  to  righteousness :  this  is  sanc- 
tification,  which,  though  no  less  necessary  than  the 
other,  yet  is  distinguished  from  it;  Christ  is  made 
unto^us  righteousness  and  sanctification.  The  term 
is  forensic,  referring  to  the  proceedings  in  a  court  of 
judicature,  and  stands  opposed  to  condemnation.  This 
is  evident  from  many  passages  of  Scripture,  particu- 
larly the  following :  "  He  that  jmtifieth  the  wicked, 
and  he  that  cmdemneth  the  just,  even  they  both  are 
abomination  to  the  Lord."  "  The  judgment  was  by 
one  to  condemnatixm ;  but  the  free  gift  is  of  many 
offences  unto  justification.^^  "  There  is  therefore  now 
no  condemnation  to  them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus." 
"  It  is  God  that  justifieth;  who  is  he  that  condemneth  V 
"  He  that  believeth  on  him  that  sent  me,  hath  ever- 
lasting life,  and  shall  not  come  into  condemnation; 
but  is  passed  from  death  unto  life."  If  a  prisoner  who 
stands  charged  with  a  crime  be  convicted  of  it,  he  is 
condemned;  if  otherwise,  he  is  acquitted,  or  justified. 

But  though  it  be  true  that  the  term  is  forensic, 
and  stands  opposed  to  condemnation,  yet,  as  in  most 
other  instances  in  which  the  proceedings  of  God  al- 
lude to  those  of  men,  they  are  not  in  all  respects 
alike.  He  that  is  justified  in  an  earthly  court,  unless 
it  be  for  want  of  evidence,  which  cannot  possibly  ap- 


NATURE  OF  JUSTIFICATION.  225 

ply  in  this  case,  is  considered  as  being  really  inno- 
cent, and  his  justification  is  no  other  than  an  act  of 
justice  done  to  him.  He  is  acquitted  because  he  ap- 
pears to  deserve  acquittal.  This,  however,  is  not  the 
justification  of  the  gospel,  which  is  "  of  grace,  through 
the  redemption  of  Jesus  Christ."  Justification,  in  the 
former  case,  in  proportion  as  it  confers  honor  on  the 
justified,  reflects  dishonor  on  his  accusers;  while,  in 
the  latter,  the  justice  of  every  charge  is  admitted,  and 
no  dishonor  reflected  on  any  party  except  himself. 
Justification  among  men  is  opposed  not  only  to  con- 
demnation, but  even  to  pardon ;  for  in  order  to  this, 
the  prisoner  must  be  found  guilty ;  whereas,  in  justifi- 
cation, he  is  acquitted  as  innocent.  But  gospel  justi- 
fication, though  distinguishable  from  pardon,  yet  is 
not  opposed  to  it.  On  the  contrary,  pardon  is  an 
essential  branch  of  it.  Pardon,  it  is  true,  only  re- 
moves the  curse  due  to  sin,  while  justification  confers 
the  blessing  of  eternal  life ;  but  without  the  former, 
we  could  not  possess  the  latter.  He  that  is  justified 
requires  to  be  pardoned,  and  he  that  is  pardoned  is 
also  justified.  Hence  a  blessing  is  pronounced  on  him 
whose  iniquities  are  forgiven ;  hence  also  the  apostle 
argues  from  the  non-imputation  of  sin  to  the  imputa- 
tion of  righteousness ;  considering  the  blessedness  of 
him  to  whom  G-od  imputeth  not  sin  as  a  description 
of  the  blessedness  of  him  to  whom  he  imputeth  right- 
eousness without  works.  Finally,  justification  at  a 
human  bar  prevents  condemnation ;  but  gospel  justi- 
fication finds  the  sinner  under  condemnation,  and  de- 
livers him  from  it.  It  is  described  as  "  passing  from 
death  to  life." 


226  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

From  these  dissimilarities,  and  others  which  I 
doubt  not  might  be  pointed  out,  it  must  be  evident 
to  every  thinking  mind,  that  though  there  are  certain 
points  of  likeness,  sufficient  to  account  for  the  use  of 
the  term,  yet  we  are  not  to  learn  the  scripture  doc- 
trine of  justification  from  what  is  so  called  in  the 
judicial  proceedings  of  human  courts,  and,  in  various 
particulars,  cannot  safely  reason  from  one  to  the 
other.  The  principal  points  of  likeness  respect  not 
the  grounds  of  the  proceeding,  but  the  effects  of  it. 
Believing  in  Jesus,  we  are  united  to  him ;  and  being 
so,  are  treated  by  the  Judge  of  all  as  one  with  him : 
his  obedience  unto  death  is  imputed  to  us,  or  reck- 
oned as  ours;  and  we,  for  his  sake,  are  delivered 
from  condemnation  as  though  we  had  been  innocent, 
and  entitled  to  eternal  life  as  though  we  had  been 
perfectly  obedient. 

But  let  us  further  inquire  what  is  gospel  justifica- 
tion. Alluding  to  justification  in  a  court  of  judica- 
ture, it  has  been  common  to  speak  of  it  as  a  sentence. 
This  sentence  has  been  considered  by  some  divines 
as  passing,  first,  in  the  mind  of  God  from  eternity ; 
secondly,  on  Christ  and  the  elect  considered  in  him 
when  he  rose  from  the  dead;  thirdly,  in  the  con- 
science of  a  sinner  on  his  believing.  Justification  by 
faith,  in  the  view  of  these  divines,  denotes  either  jus- 
tification by  Christ  the  object  of  faith,  or  the  manifes- 
tation to  the  soul  of  what  previously  existed  in  the 
mind  of  God. 

Others,  who  have  been  far  from  holding  with  jus- 
tification as  a  decree  in  the  divine  mind,  have  yet 
seemed  to  consider  it  as  a  manifestation,  impression, 


\ 


NATURE  OF  JUSTIFICATION.  227 

or  persuasion  in  tKe  human  mind.  They  have  spoken 
of  themselves  and  others  as  being  justified  under  such 
a  sermon,  or  at  such  an  hour ;  when  all  that  they  ap- 
pear to  mean  is,  that  at  such  a  time  they  had  a  strong 
impression,  or  persuasion,  that  they  were  justified. 

In  respect  of  the  first  of  these  statements,  it  is 
true  that  justification,  and  every  other  spiritual  bless- 
ing, was  included  in  that  purpose  and  grace  which 
was  given  us  in  Christ  Jesus  before  the  world  began ; 
but  as  the  actual  bestowment  of  other  blessings  sup- 
poses the  existence  of  the  party,  so  does  justification. 
Christ  was  "  raised  again  for  our  justification,"  in  the 
same  sense  as  he  died  for  the  pardon  of  our  sins. 
Pardon  and  justification  were  virtually  obtained  by 
his  death  and  resurrection ;  and  to  this  may  be  added, 
our  glorification  was  obtained  by  his  ascension ;  for 
we  were  not  only  "  quickened  together  with  him,"  and 
"raised  up  together,"  but  "made  to  sit  together  in 
heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus."  But  as  this  does 
not  prove  that  we  were  thenceforth  actually  glorified, 
neither  does  the  other  prove  that  we  were  actually 
pardoned  or  justified. 

Whatever  justification  be,  the  Scriptures  represent 
it  as  taking  place  on  our  believing  in  Christ.  It  is  not 
any  thing  that  belongs  to  predestination,  but  some- 
thing that  intervenes  between  that  and  glorification. 
"  Whom  he  did  predestinate,  them  he  also  called ;  and 
whom  he  called,  them  he  also  justified ;  and  whom  he 
justified,  them  he  also  glorified."  That  which  the 
Scriptures  call  justification,  is  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ; 
and  is  sometimes  spoken  of  as  future,  which  it  could 
not  be  if  it  were  before  our  actual  existence.    For 


228  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

example :  "  Seeing  it  is  one  God  who  shall  justify  the 
circumcision  by  faith,  and  the  uncircumcision  through 
faith."  "  Now  it  was  not  written  for  Abraham's  sake 
alone,  that  it  was  imputed  to  him ;  but  for  us  also,  to 
whom  it  shall  be  imputed,  if  we  believe  on  Him  that 
raised  up  Jesus  our  Lord  from  the  dead."  "The 
Scripture,  foreseeing  that  God  would  justify  the  hea- 
then through  faith,"  etc.  If  justification  were  God's 
decree  finally  to  acquit,  condemnation  must  be  his 
decree  finally  to  condemn.  But  every  unbeliever, 
whether  elect  or  non-elect,  is  und^r  condemnation, 
as  the  Scriptures  abundantly  teach;  condemnation, 
therefore,  cannot  be  God's  decree  finally  to  condemn. 
Saul  of  Tarsus,  while  an  unbeliever,  was  under  con- 
demnation, yet  God  had  "  not  appointed  him  to  wrath, 
but  to  obtain  salvation  by  Jesus  Christ."  The  sum 
is,  that  neither  condemnation  nor  justification  consists 
in  the  secret  purpose  of  God,  but  in  his  will  as  re- 
vealed, or  declared,  as  by  a  sentence  in  open  court. 

And  as  justification  is  not  a  purpose  in  the  divine 
mind,  neither  is  it  a  manifestation  to,  an  impressixm  on, 
or  a  persuasion  of  the  human  mind.  That  there  are 
manifestations  to  believers  is  admitted.  God  mani- 
fests himself  unto  them  as  he  does  not  unto  the  world. 
The  things  of  God,  which  are  hidden  from  the  wise 
and  prudent,  are  revealed  to  them.  But  these  are 
not  things  which  were  previously  locked  up  in  the 
divine  purposes,  but  things  which  were  already  re- 
vealed in  the  Scriptures,  and  which  were  previously 
hidden  from  them,  as  they  still  are  from  unbelievers, 
by  their  own  criminal  blindness.  God  does  not  re- 
veal his  secret  counsels  to  men,  otherwise  than  fulfil- 


NATURE  OF  JUSTIFICATION.  229 

ling  them.  To  pretend  to  a  revelation,  or  manifesta- 
tion of  that  which  is  not  contained  in  the  Scriptures, 
is  pretending  to  be  inspired  in  the  same  extraordi- 
nary manner  as  were  the  prophets  and  apostles. 

If  justification  consists  in  a  manifestation,  impres- 
sion, or  persuasion  that  we  are  justified,  condemnation 
must  be  a  like  impression,  or  persuasion  that  we  are 
condemned ;  but  this  is  not  true.  The  Jews  who  op- 
posed Christ  were  under  condemnation;  yet  so  far 
from  being  impressed,  or  persuaded  of  any  such  thing, 
they  had  no  doubt  but  God  was  their  Father.  Be- 
lievers in  Jesus,  on  the  other  hand,  may  at  times  be 
impressed  with  strong  apprehensions  of  divine  wrath, 
while  yet  they  are  not  exposed  to  it.  Neither  justifi- 
cation, therefore,  nor  condemnation  consists  in  a  per- 
suasion of  the  mind  that  we  are  under  the  one  or  the 
other.  Besides,  to  make  a  thing  consist  in  a  persua- 
sion of  the  truth  of  that  thing,  is  a  palpable  absurdity. 
There  can  be  no  well-grounded  persuasion  of  the  truth 
of  any  thing,  unless  it  be  true  and  evident  antece- 
dently to  our  being  persuaded  of  it. 

Justification  is  a  relative  change,  not  in,  or  upon, 
but  concerning  us.  It  relates  to  our  standing  with 
respect  to  God,  the  Lawgiver  and  Judge  of  all.  It  is 
"  passing  from  death  to  life,"  in  respect  of  the  law ;  as 
when  the  sentence  against  a  malefactor  is  not  only 
remitted,  but  he  is,  withal,  raised  to  honor  and  digni- 
ty. It  is  our  standing  acquitted  by  the  revealed  will 
of  God  declared  in  the  gospel.  As  "  the  wrath  of  God 
is  revealed  from  heaven"  in  the  curses  of  his  law,  so 
"  the  righteousness  of  God  is  revealed  from  faith  to 
faith  "  in  the  declarations  of  the  gospel.     It  is  in  this 


230  DOCTE.INE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

revelation  of  the  mind  of  God  in  his  word,  I  con- 
ceive, that  the  sentence  both  of  condemnation  and  jus- 
tification consists.  He  whom  the  Scriptures  bless,  is 
blessed ;  and  he  whom  they  curse,  is  cursed. 

As  transgressors  of  the  holy,  just,  and  good  law 
of  Glod,  we  are  all  by  nature  children  of  wrath ;  all 
the  threatenings  of  God  are  in  full  force  against  us, 
and  were  we  to  die  in  that  condition,  we  must  perish 
everlastingly.  This  is  to  be  under  condemnation. 
But  condemnation,  awful  as  it  is,  is  not  damnation. 
The  sentence  is  not  executed,  nor  is  it  irrevocable: 
"God  so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave  his  only  be- 
gotten Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should 
not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."  Hence,  the 
sinner  stands  in  a  new  relation  to  God  as  a  Lawgiver. 
He  is  no  longer  "  under  the  law,"  with  respect  to  its 
condemning  power,  but  "  under  grace."  As  the  man- 
slayer,  on  having  entered  the  city  of  refuge,  was,  by 
a  special  constitution  of  mercy,  secure  from  the  aven- 
ger of  blood ;  so  the  sinner,  having  "  fled  for  refuge 
to  lay  hold  on  the  hope  set  before  him,"  is,  by  the 
gracious  constitution  of  the  gospel,  secured  from  the 
curse.  All  those  threatenings  which  belonged  to  him 
heretofore  no  longer  stand  against  him,  but  are  reck- 
oned by  the  Judge  of  all  as  having  been  executed  on 
Jesus  his  substitute,  who  was  "  made  a  curse  for  us." 
On  the  other  hand,  all  the  blessings  and  promises  in 
the  book  of  God  belong  to  him,  and,  die  when  he  may, 
eternal  life  is  his  portion.  This  is  that  state  into 
which  every  believer  is  translated,  on  his  becoming  a 
believer ;  and  herein,  I  conceive,  consists  the  blessing 
of  justification. 


NATURE  OF  JUSTIFICATION.  231 

There  are  points  pertaining  to  the  subject  which 
yet  require  illustration :  What  it  is,  in  the  redemp- 
tion of  Christ,  to  which  the  Scriptures  ascribe  its 
efficacy;  what  is  the  concern  oi  faith  in  justification, 
and  why  it  is  ascribed  to  this  grace  rather  than  to 
any  other. 

1.  Let  us  inquire  what  it  is,  in  the  redemption  of 
Christ,  to  which  the  Scriptures  ascribe  its  efficacy. 
Justification  is  ascribed  to  his  blood,  and  to  his  obedi- 
ence. By  the  blood  of  Christ,  is  meant  the  shedding 
of  his  blood,  or  the  laying  down  of  his  life ;  and  by 
his  obedience,  all  that  conformity  to  the  will  of  God 
which  led  to  this  great  crisis.  He  was  "obedient 
unto  death.^'  By  the  death  of  Christ  sin  is  said  to  be 
"  purged,"  or  expiated  •  and  sinners  to  be  "  redeemed," 
"reconciled,"  and  "cleansed  from  all  sin;"  and  by 
his  obedience  many  are  said  to  be  "  made  righteous." 
This  his  obedience  unto  death  was  more  than  the 
means  of  salvation ;  it  was  the  procuring  cause  of  it. 
Salvation  was  the  effect  of  the  "  travail  of  his  soul." 
We  may  be  instruments  in  saving  one  another,  but 
Christ  was  "the  aicthor  of  eternal  salvation."  The 
principle  of  substitution,  or  of  one  standing  in  the  place 
of  others,  being  admitted  by  the  Sovereign  of  the  uni- 
verse, he  endured  that  which  in  its  effect  on  the  divine 
government  was  equivalent  to  the  everlasting  punish- 
ment of  a  world,  and  did  that  which  it  was  worthy  of 
God  to  reward  with  eternal  glory,  not  only  on  him- 
self, but  on  all  those  on  whose  behalf  he  should  inter- 
cede. What  is  there,  then,  in  this  his  obedience  unto 
death,  that  should  render  it  capable  of  producing 
such  important  effects  ?    To  this  question  the  Scrip- 


232  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

tures  make  answer,  as  follows:  We  are  "redeemed 
with  the  precious  blood  of  Christ."  "  The  blood  of 
Jesus  Christ  his  Son  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin." 
"  Who  being  the  brightness  of  his  glory,  and  the  ex- 
press image  of  his  person,  and  upholding  all  things 
by  the  word  of  his  power,  when  he  had  by  himself" 
expiated  "our  sins,  sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of 
the  Majesty  on  high."  If  there  be  any  meaning  in 
language,  the  efficacy  of  the  sufferings  and  work  of 
Christ  is  here  ascribed  to  the  dignity  of  his  person ; 
and  that  dignity  amounts  to  nothing  short  of  his 
proper  Deity.  The  Scriptures  often  ascribe  the  mir- 
acles of  Christ,  the  strength  by  which  he  was  borne 
up  in  his  sufferings,  and  his  resurrection  from  the 
dead,  to  the  power  of  the  Father ;  for  being  "  in  the 
form  of  a  servant,"  it  was  fit  that  he  should  be  sup- 
plied and  supported  and  vindicated  by  Him  whose 
servant  he  was ;  but  when  the  value  or  virtue  of  his 
interposition  is  spoken  of,  it  is  ascribed  to  the  intrin- 
sic glory  of  his  person,  as  the  Son  of  God.  We 
Inquire, 

2.  What  is  the  concern  of  faith  in  justification,  and 
why  it  is  ascribed  to  this  grace  rather  than  to  any  other. 
Were  we  to  conceive  of  the  gospel  as  a  new  "  remedial 
law,"  and  of  faith  as  the  first  principle  of  obedience 
constituting  the  condition  of  it,  or  that  which  God 
graciously  consented  to  accept  as  the  term  of  justifica- 
tion, instead  of  a  perfect  conformity  to  the  old  law, 
we  should  be  greatly  beside  the  gospel  plan.  The 
gospel  plan  of  justification  excludes  boasting,  and 
that  is  excluding  works;  but  justification  on  this  prin- 
ciple excludes  not  works,  but  merely  works  of  a  cer- 


NATURE  OF  JUSTIFICATION.  233 

tain  description.  There  is,  on  this  principle,  a  law 
that  can  give  life ;  and  righteousness,  after  all,  is  by 
law.  If  we  are  justified  by  any  doings  of  our  own, 
whatever  they  are,  we  have  whereof  to  glory.  Wheth- 
er we  call  them  legal  or  evangelical,  if  they  be  the 
consideration  on  which  we  are  forgiven  and  accepted, 
we  are  not  justified  freely  by  grace,  and  boasting  is 
not  excluded. 

It  is  said  to  be  "of  faith,  that  it  might  be  by 
grace."  There  must,  therefore,  be  something  in  the 
nature  of  faith  which  peculiarly  corresponds  with  the 
free  grace  of  the  gospel — something  which  looks  out 
of  self,  and  receives  the  free  gifts  of  .Heaven  as  being 
what  they  are,  pure  undeserved  favor.  We  need  not 
reduce  it  to  a  mere  exercise  of  the  intellectual  faculty, 
in  which  there  is  nothing  holy;  but  whatever  holi- 
ness there  is  in  it,  it  is  not  this,  but  the  obedience  of 
Christ,  that  constitutes  our  justifying  righteousness. 
Whatever  other  properties  the  magnet  may  possess, 
it  is  as  pointing  invariably  to  the  north  that  it  guides 
the  mariner ;  and  whatever  other  properties  faith  may 
possess,  it  is  as  receiving  Christ,  and  bringing  us  into 
union  with  him,  that  it  justifies. 

In  order  to  be  interested  in  justification,  and  other 
blessings  arising  from  the  obedience  and  death  of 
Christ,  we  must  first  be  interested  in  Christ  himself ; 
for  it  is  as  having  the  Son,  that  we  "have  everlasting 
life."  The  benefits  of  Christ's  obedience  unto  death 
require  to  be  received  in  the  same  order  as  that  in 
which  they  are  given.  As  God  first  gives  him,  so  we 
must  first  receive  him,  and  with  him  all  things  freely. 
Many  would  wish  for  the  benefits  of  Christ's  death, 


234  DOCTRINE   OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

who  yet  have  no  desire  after  Christ.  Like  him  who 
was  nearest  of  kin  to  the  family  of  Elimelech,  they 
would  on  various  accounts  be  pleased  with  the  inher- 
itance ;  but  when  it  is  understood  Hhat,  in  order  to 
possess  it,  they  must  take  him  with  all  that  pertains 
to  him,  and  that  this  would  mar  their  present  inher- 
itance, they  give  it  up. 

Thus  it  is  that  justification  is  ascribed  to  faith, 
because  it  is  by  faith  that  we  receive  Christ;  and 
thus  it  is  by  faith  only,  and  not  by  any  other  grace. 
Faith  is  peculiarly  a  receiving  grace,  which  none 
other  is.  Were  we  said  to  be  justified  by  repentance, 
by  love,  or  by  any  other  grace,  it  would  convey  to  us 
the  idea  of  something  good  in  us  being  the  considera- 
tion on  which  the  blessing  was  bestowed ;  but  justifi- 
cation by  faith  conveys  no  such  idea.  On  the  con- 
trary, it  leads  the  mind  directly  to  Christ,  in  the 
same  manner  as  saying  of  a  person  that  he  lives  by 
begging,  leads  to  the  idea  of  his  living  on  what  he 
freely  receives. 

It  is  thus  that  justification  stands  connected,  in 
the  Scriptures,  with  union  with  Christ:  *'  Of  him  are 
ye  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  of  God  is  made  unto  us 
righteousness."  "  There  is  therefore  now  no  condem- 
nation to  them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus."  "  That  I 
may  be  found  in  him,  not  having  mine  own  righteous- 
ness, which  is  of  the  law,  but  that  which  is  through 
the  faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God 
by  faith."  From  these  and  other  passages,  we  per- 
ceive that  faith  justifies,  not  in  a  way  of  merit,  not  on 
account  of  any  thing  in  itself,  be  it  what  it  may,  but 
as  uniting  us  to  Christ.     It  is  that  which  the  act  of 


NATURE  OF  JUSTIFICATION.  235 

marriage  is  on  the  part  of  a  woman ;  by  it  she  becomes 
one  with  her  husband,  and  whatever  might  be  her 
former  poverty,  legally  interested  in  all  that  he  pos- 
sesses. Having  him,  she  has  all  that  is  his.  Thus  it 
is  that,  Christ  being  "  heir  of  all  things,"  believers  in 
him  become  "  heirs  of  God,"  not  in  their  own  right, 
but  as  "joint-heirs  with  him."  And  as,  in  a  marriage 
union,  the  wealth  which  an  indigent  woman  might  de- 
rive from  the  opulence  of  her  husband  would  not  be 
in  reward  of  her  having  received  him;  so  neither  is 
justification  the  reward  of  faith,  but  of  the  righteous- 
ness which  is  of  God  by  faith. 

Great  things  are  ascribed  to  faith,  in  a  way  of 
healing.  Many  of  the  miraculous  cures  performed  by 
our  Lord  are  ascribed  to  the  faith  of  the  parties. 
The  virtue,  however,  proceeded  not  from  faith,  but 
from  him.  It  is  the  same  in  justification.  By  faith 
we  receive  the  benefit;  but  the  benefit  arises  not 
from  faith,  but  from  Christ.  -  Hence  the  same  thing 
which  is  ascribed  in  some  places  to  faith,  is  in  others 
ascribed  to  the  obedience,  death,  and  resurrection  of 
Christ. 


236  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION, 


CHAPTER   IX. 

JUSTIFICATION  NOT  BY  WORKS. 

Having  shown  what  I  conceive  to  be  meant  by 
justification,  I  proceed  to  show  that  we  are  not  jus- 
tified BY  ANY  works  OP  OUR  OWN,  BUT  OP  FREE  GRACE, 
THROUGH  THE   REDEMPTION   OP   JeSUS  ChRIST.      There 

are  but  two  ways  in  which  creatures  can  be  justified 
before  God :  one  is  by  works,  the  other  by  grace.  If 
we  had  been  obedient  to  the  holy,  just,  and  good  law 
of  our  Creator,  that  obedience  would  have  been  our 
righteousness^  and  we  should  have  been  justified  on  the 
ground  of  it ;  for  the  man  "  that  doeth  these  things 
shall  live  by  them."  But  having  all  sinned,  we  have 
come  short  of  the  glory  of  Cod.  Instead  of  gaining 
his  favor,  we  stand  exposed  to  his  righteous  curse; 
for  thus  it  is  written,  "  Cursed  is  every  one  that  con- 
tinueth  not  in  all  things  written  in  the  book  of  the 
law  to  do  them." 

We  need  not,  on  this  subject,  inquire  into  the 
degrees  of  evil,  or  whether  we  have  gone  greater 
lengths  in  sin  than  other  men ;  for  if  we  had  only 
broken  one  of  God's  righteous  commandments,  that 
were  an  everlasting  bar  to  our  justification.  As  well 
might  a  murderer  plead  in  arrest  of  judgment,  that  he 
had  killed  only  one  man.  The  number  of  our  sins 
will  doubtless  heighten  the  degrees  of  punishment, 
but  it  is  the  nature  of  them  that  insures  condemnation. 


JUSTIFICATION  NOT  BY  WORKS.  237 

Nor  does  this  disprove  the  equity  of  the  law ;  for  we 
cannot  break  a  single  precept  without  contemning 
the  divine  authority,  which  at  once  destroys  the  prin- 
ciple of  obedience  to  every  other.  We  may  not  ac- 
tually go  into  all  other  sins ;  but  it  is  not  the  love  of 
God  that  restrains  us :  it  is  interest,  or  fear,  or  regard 
to  our  own  reputation  that  holds  us  back.  On  this 
principle,  he  who  offendeth  but  in  one  point  is  said  to 
be  guilty  of  all:  "For  he  that  said,  Do  not  commit 
adultery,  said  also,  Do  not  kill.  Now  if  thou  commit 
no  adultery,  yet,  if  thou  kill,  thou  art  become  a  trans- 
gressor of  the  law."  But  if  a  single  offencOi-be  an 
everlasting  bar  to  justification  by  our  own  works, 
what  ground  can  there  be  to  hope  for  it,  when  our 
whole  lives  have  been  one  continued  series  of  revolt? 

We  are  all  transgressors,  and  as  such  under  the 
curse.  Here,  too,  we  might  have  been  left  to  perish. 
God  was  not  obliged,  in  justice  or  in  honor,  to  inter- 
pose in  behalf  of  a  seed  of  evil-doers.  The  law  by 
which  we  stand  condemned  being  holy,  just,  and  good, 
might  have  been  executed,  and  no  reproach  would 
have  attached  to  the  divine  character.  Having  sided 
with  Satan  against  God,  we  might  justly  have  had  our 
portion  with  him  and  his  angels.  All  who  were  not 
themselves  implicated,  and  disaffected  to  the  divine 
government,  would  have  said,  "  True  and  righteous 
are  thy  judgments,  0  Lord."  And  we  ourselves,  at 
the  last  judgment,  should  not  have  been  able  to  open 
our  mouths  against  it. 

And  now  that  "  God^  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his 
great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us,  even  when  we 
were  dead  in  sins,"  has  interposed  and  revealed  a 


238  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

way  in  which  he  can  be  "just,  and  the  justij&er  of  him 
that  believeth  in  Jesus,"  shall  it  be  objected  to  by  us? 
Shall  man,  lying  as  he  does  under  the  dominion  of 
sin,  and  the  righteous  condemnation  of  Heaven  on 
account  of  it — shall  man  take  dignity  to  himself,  and 
be  ever  aspiring  to  be  justified  on  the  ground  of  at 
least  his  comparative  righteousness?  Such,  however, 
is  the  fact.  When  the  first-born  son  of  fallen  Adam 
brought  his  offering,  he  came  as  though  he  had  never 
sinned — bringing  no  sacrifice,  and  yet  entertaining 
high  expectations  of  success.  Hence,  when  the  signal 
of  acceptance  was  withheld,  his  countenance  fell. 
Thus  it  is  that  millions  are  bringing  tl^eir  offerings 
to  this  day,  overlooking  "  the  Lamb  of  God  that  taketh 
away  the  sin  of  the  world."  All  the  false  religions 
that  have  existed,  or  do  now  exist,  in  the  world,  are 
so  many  modifications  of  a  self-righteous  spirit,  so 
many  devices  to  appease  the  conscience  and  propi- 
tiate the  Deity. 

Nor  is  it  confined  to  heathens,  Mahomedans,  and 
Jews;  there  are  professing  Christians  who  are  very 
explicit  in  avowing  their  dependence  upon  their  own 
works.  Where  the  divinity  and  atonement  of  Christ 
are  disavowed,  this  is  no  more  than  may  be  expected. 
But  neither  is  it  confined  to  such.  Many  who  profess 
to  believe  these  doctrines,  yet  seem  to  consider  the 
grand  object  of  the  death  of  Christ  to  have  been  that 
he  might  obtain  for  us,  that  repentance,  faith,  and  sin- 
cere obedience  should  be  accepted  as  the  ground  of 
justification,  instead  of  sinless  perfection. 

Many  who,  in  consequence  of  being  educated  under 
a  gospel  ministry,  disavow  in  words  all  dependence 


JUSTIFICATION  NOT  BY  WORKS.  239 

on  their  own  works,  are  nevertheless  manifestly  under 
the  influence  of  a  self-righteous  spirit.  They  do  not 
confess  their  faults  one  to  another,  but  justify  them- 
selves as  far  as  possible ;  and  wherein  they  fail  in  this, 
will  invent  so  many  pleas  and  excuses  as  shall  exten- 
uate the  sin  to  little  or  nothing.  They  are  not  self- 
difl&dent  nor  humble,  but  the  contrary,  trusting  in 
themselves  that  they  are  righteous,  and  despising 
others,  just  as  the  Pharisee  did  the  publican.  They 
"  thank  God"  for  being  what  they  are,  and  so  did  the 
Pharisee ;  but  as  words  in  the  one  case  signified  noth- 
ing, neither  do  they  in  the  other. 

To  this  may  be  added,  it  is  not  an  unusual  thing 
for  those  who  have  been  awakened  to  a  serious  con- 
cern about  salvation  to  overlook  the  Saviour,  and  to 
build  their  hopes  on  the  consideration  of  the  tears 
they  have  shed,  the  prayers  they  have  offered,  and 
the  pains  they  have  taken  in  religion.  But  if  it 
should  prove  that  all  confidences  of  this  sort  are  only 
a  refined  species  of  self-righteous  hope,  and  that  the 
first  substantial  relief  of  a  sinner  arises  from  a  belief 
of  the  gospel  way  of  salvation,  the  consequences  may 
be  no  less  fatal  than  if  they  had  never  wept  nor 
prayed,  nor  taken  any  pains  in  religion. 

One  thing  is  certain,  we  must  be  justified  wholly 
of  grace,  or  wholly  of  works ;  for  there  is  no  medium : 
"  If  by  grace,  then  is  it  no  more  of  works ;  otherwise 
grace  is  no  more  grace.  But  if,"  on  the  other  hand, 
"  it  be  of  works,  then  is  it  no  more  of  grace  ;  other- 
wise work  is  no  more  work."  Taking  it  for  granted 
that  what  God  has  revealed  in  his  word  is  the  only 
sure  ground  on  which  to  rest  a  matter  of  such  high 


240  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

importance,  I  shall  state  what  appears  to  me  the 
scripture  evidence  for  the  first  of  these  methods  of 
justification,  under  the  following  particulars : 

1.  The  righteousness  of  God  does  not  admit  of  a  sin- 
ner''s  being  justified  on  the  ground  of  his  own  doings.  It 
belongs  to  the  righteousness  or  justice  of  God  to  do 
justice  to  his  own  character.  But  to  pardon  and 
accept  of  sinners  on  account  of  any  thing  done  by 
them,  were  to  oppose  his  own  law  and  government; 
and  if  any  thing  could  cause  both  them  and  him  to  be 
treated  with  contempt,  this  proceeding  must  do  it. 
"  It  became  Him  for  whom  are  all  things,  and  by  whom 
are  all  things,  in  bringing  many  sons  unto  glory,  to 
make  the  Captain  of  their  salvation  perfect  through 
sufi'erings."  "  Whom  God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a  pro- 
pitiation through  faith  in  His  blood,  to  declare  his 
righteousness  for  the  remission  of  sins."  "  For  they 
being  ignorant  of  God's  righteousness,  and  going 
about  to  establish  their  own  righteousness,  have  not 
submitted  themselves  unto  the  righteousness  of  God." 
If  these  passages  do  not  convey  the  idea  of  its  being 
inconsistent  with  the  righteous  character  of  God  to 
pardon  and  accept  of  sinners  in  consideration  of  their 
own  doings,  I  can  conceive  of  no  determinate  idea 
conveyed  by  them.  If  it  was  becoming  the  divine 
perfections  to  bring  sinners  to  glory  through  a  suffer- 
ing Saviour,  it  would  have  been  unbecoming  those 
perfections  to  have  brought  them  to  glory  in  virtue 
of  their  own  doings.  If  Christ  were  set  forth  to  be 
a  propitiation  that  God  might  declare  his  righteous- 
ness for  the  remission  of  sins,  his  righteousness  would 
not  have  been  declared  in  the  remission  of  sins  with- 


JUSTIFICATION  NOT  BY  WORKS.  241 

out  it.  Finally,  if  ignorance  of  God^s  righteousness 
were  the  reason  of  the  non-submission  of  the  Jews  to 
the  gospel  way  of  justification,  there  must  have  been 
in  that  truth  something  directly  opposed  to  justifica- 
tion in  any  other  way,  and  which,  had  it  been  properly 
understood,  would  have  cut  up  all  hopes  from  every 
other  quarter.  It  was  in  this  way  that  Paul,  when 
the  righteous  law  of  God  appeared  to  him  in  its  true 
light,  "  died"  as  to  all  hopes  of  being  accepted  of  God 
by  the  works  of  it.  It  was  "  through  the  law"  that 
he  became  "  dead  to  the  law,"  that  he  might  live  unto 
God. 

2.  The  Scriptures  in  a  great  variety  of  language  exclude 
all  works  perfor^ned  by  sinful  creatures  as  the  ground  of 
acceptance  with  God.  In  proof  of  this  the  following 
passages  are  very  express:  "Moses  describeth  the 
righteousness  which  is  of  the  law:  That  the  man 
that  doeth  those  things  shall  live  by  them.  But  the 
righteousness  which  is  of  faith  speaketh  on  this  wise : 
If  thou  shalt  confess  with  thy  mouth  the  Lord  Jesus, 
and  shalt  believe  in  thy  heart  that  God  hath  raised 
him  from  the  dead,  thou  shalt  be  saved."  "By  the 
deeds  of  the  law  there  shall  no  flesh  be  justified  in  his 
sight.  Where  is  boasting  then?  It  is  excluded.  By 
what  law  ?  of  works  ?  Nay ;  but  by  the  law  of  faith. 
Therefore  we  conclude  that  a  man  is  justified  by  faith 
without  the  deeds  of  the  law."  "  If  Abraham  were 
justified  by  works,  he  hath  whereof  to  glory."  "  Now 
to  him  that  worketh  is  the  reward  reckoned  not  of 
grace,  but  of  debt.  But  to  him  that  worketh  not,  but 
believeth  on  Him  that  justifieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith 
is  counted  for  righteousness.    Even  ^s  David  also 

Atonement.  J 1 


242  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

describeth  the  blessedness  of  the  man  unto  whom 
God  imputeth  righteousness  without  works ."  "  Israel, 
which  followed  after  the  law  of  righteousness,  hath 
not  attained  to  the  law  of  righteousness.  Wherefore? 
Because  they  sought  it  not  by  faith,  but  as  it  were  by 
the  works  of  the  law :  for  they  stumbled  at  that  stum- 
bling-stone." "  Knowing  that  a  man  is  not  justified 
by  the  works  of  the  law,  but  by  the  faith  of  Jesus 
Christ,  even  we  have  believed  in  Jesus  Christ,  that 
we  might  be  justified  by  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  not 
by  the  works  of  the  law :  for  by  the  works  of  the  law 
shall  no  flesh  be  justified."  "  As  many  as  are  of  the 
works  of  the  law  are  under  the  curse ;  for  it  is  writ- 
ten, Cursed  is  every  one  that  continueth  not  in  all 
things  which  are  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do 
them."  "  But  that  no  man  is  justified  by  the  law  in 
the  sight  of  God,  it  is  evident;  for  the  just  shall  live 
by  faith.  And  the  law  is  not  of  faith :  but  the  man 
that  doeth  them  shall  live  in  them."  "Christ  is  become 
of  no  effect  unto  you :  whosoever  of  you  are  justified 
by  the  law,  ye  are  fallen  from  grace."  "  Not  of  works, 
lest  any  man  should  boast."  "  Not  by  works  of  right- 
eousness which  we  have  done,  but  according  to  his 
mercy  he  saved  us,  that  being  justified  by  his  grace, 
we  should  be  made  heirs  according  to  the  hope  of 
eternal  life." 

Distinctions  have  been  made  on  this  subject  be- 
tween the  works  of  the  ceremonial  and  those  of  the 
moral  law ;  also  between  the  works  of  the  law  and 
those  of  the  gospel ;  as  though  it  were  not  the  design 
of  the  Scriptures  to  exclude  moral  duties  from  being 
grounds  of  justification,  but  merely  those  which  are 


JUSTIFICATION  NOT  BY  WORKS.  243 

ceremonial;  or  if  it  were,  yet  not  the  evangelical 
duties  of  repentance,  faith,  and  sincere  obedience. 
But  whatever  differences  there  may  be  between  these 
things,  they  are  all  works;  and  all  works  of  man  are 
excluded  from  justification.  If  the  foregoing  passages 
be  considered  in  their  connection,  they  will  be  found 
to  respect  all  obedience  of  every  kind  which  is  per- 
formed by  men,  be  it  ceremonial  or  moral,  or  what  it 
may.  They  teach  a  justification  by  a  righteousness 
received,  in  opposition  to  a  righteousness  done  or  per- 
formed, and  which  leaves  no  room  for  boasting.  If 
we  were  justified  by  faith  itself,  considered  as  a  duty 
of  ours,  or  if  the  Lawgiver  had  respect  to  any  con 
formity  to  God  in  us,  as  the  cause  or  reason  of  the 
sentence,  there  would  be  no  meaning  in  such  language 
as  this :  "  To  him  that  worketh  not,  but  believeth  on 
Him  that  justifieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted 
for  righteousness.'' 

The  language  of  the  apostle  to  the  Galatians  goes 
not  only  to  exclude  obedience  to  the  ceremonial  and 
the  moral  law,  but  obedience  to  law  in  general,  as 
the  ground  of  justification.  The  reason  given  why 
the  law  is  not  against  the  promises,  or  why  it  cannot 
furnish  an  objection  to  the  free  grace  of  the  gospel,  is 
this:  "If  there  had  been  a  law  which  could  have 
given  life,  verily  righteousness  should  have  been  by 
the  law."  This  is  equal  to  saying,  the  patient  was 
given  up  as  incurable  by  law,  before  the  promised 
grace  of  the  gospel  took  him.  in  hand ;  whatever, 
therefore,  is  done  by  the  latter  cannot  be  objected  to 
by  the  former.  The  Greek  terms  translated  law  and 
by  the  law,  in  Gal.  3  :  21,  as  observed  by  Dr.  Guyse, 


244  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

show  it,  according  to  Mr.  Locke's  rule  of  interpreta- 
tion, to  relate  to  law  in  general,  or  to  any  or  every 
law.  But  if  the  works  of  every  law  be  excluded, 
all  distinctions  between  ceremonial  and  moral,  or 
between  moral  and  evangelical,  are  of  no  account. 

3 .  Being  justified  freely  by  grace  is  itself  directly  opposed 
to  being  justified  by  works.  The  term  grace  denotes 
free  favor  to  the  unworthy.  If  God  had  been  obliged, 
in  justice  or  in  honor,  to  have  done  what  he  has 
done — if  the  law  by  which  we  were  condemned  were 
too  strict,  or  the  penalty  annexed  to  it  too  severe — if 
Christ,  and  the  offer  of  salvation  through  him,  were  a 
compensation  given  us  on  account  of  the  injury  we 
received  from  our  connection  with  our  first  parents, 
that  which  is  called  grace  would  not  be  grace,  but 
debt.  There  is  just  so  much  grace  in  the  gospel  as 
there  is  justice  in  the  law,  and  no  more.  The  oppo- 
sition between  grace  and  works,  in  this  important 
concern,  is  so  clear  in  itself,  and  so  plainly  marked  by 
the  apostle,  that  one  can  scarcely  conceive  how  it  can 
be  honestly  mistaken :  "  If  it  be  by  grace,  then  it  is 
no  more  of  works ;  otherwise  grace  is  no  more  grace." 

But  strong  as  the  term  grace  is,  the  apostle  adds 
to  its  force.  As  though  it  were  not  enough  for  him 
to  affirm  that  we  are  justified  by  grace,  he  says  we 
are  justified  freely  by  his  grace.  There  is  a  redun- 
dancy in  the  expression,  but  the  design  of  it  is  to 
strengthen  the  thought.  Thus,  when  he  would  for- 
cibly express  his  idea  of  future  glory,  he  uses  a  kind 
of  tautology  for  the  purpose,  calling  it  a  "far  more 
exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory."  We  are  not 
only  justified  without  any  desert  on  our  part,  but  con- 


JUSTIFICATION  NOT  BY  WORKS.  245 

traiy  to  it.  As  high  as  the  heavens  are  above  the 
earth,  so  are  His  thoughts,  in  the  forgiveness  of  sin, 
higher  than  our  thoughts,  and  his  ways  than  our  ways. 
They  who  are  justified  are  said  to  receive  abundance 
of  grace,  or  grace  abounding  over  all  the  aboundings 
of  sin.  Sin  reigns  over  our  species,  subjugating  them 
all  to  death ;  but  grace  conquers  the  conqueror,  reign- 
ing through  righteousness  to  eternal  life,  by  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord. 

4.  The  terms  used  relative  to  gospel  justification  render 
it  evident  that  it  is  not  our  own  righteousness  that  is  im- 
puted to  us,  but  the  righteousness  of  another.  "  Abraham 
believed  God,  and  it  was  counted  unto  him  for  right- 
eousness." "  Now  to  him  that  worketh  is  the  reward 
not  reckoned  of  grace,  but  of  debt.  But  he  that  be- 
lieveth  on  Him  that  justifieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is 
counted  for  righteousness."  "  David  also  describeth 
the  blessedness  of  the  man  unto  whom  God  impute th 
righteousness  without  works,  saying.  Blessed  are  they 
whose  iniquities  are  forgiven,  and  whose  sins  are 
covered.  Blessed  is  the  man  to  whom  the  Lord  will 
not  impute  sin."  The  terms  imputed  and  counted,  in 
this  connection,  are  manifestly  used  to  express,  not 
that  just  reckoning  of  righteousness  to  the  righteous 
which  gives  to  every  man  his  due,  but  the  gracious 
reckoning  of  righteousness  to  the  unrighteous  as 
though  he  were  righteous.  When  the  uncircumcised 
Gentile  kept  the  law,  his  uncircumcision  was  counted 
for  circumcision ;  not  that  it  really  was  such,  but  it 
was  graciously  reckoned,  in  the  divine  administra- 
tion, as  if  it  were.  When  Paul,  writing  to  Philemon 
concerning  Onesimus,  says,  "  If  he  hath  wronged  thee, 


246  DOCTHINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

or  oweth  thee  aught,  put  that  on  mine  account,"  he 
did  not  mean  that  he  should  treat  him  according  to 
his  deserts,  but  that  he  should  forgive  and  accept  him, 
for  his  sake. 

When/aiYA  is  said  to  be  counted  for  righteousness, 
it  is  as  relating  to  Christ.  The  faith  by  which 
Abraham  was  justified  had  immediate  relation  to  him 
as  the  promised  seed ;  and  it  is  easy  to  perceive,  in 
the  New  Testament  accounts  of  justifying  faith,  a 
marked  attention  to  the  same  thing.  "  Abraham  be- 
lieved God,  and  it  was  imputed  to  him  for  righteous- 
ness. Now  it  was  not  written  for  his  sake  alone  that 
it  was  imputed  to  him,  but  for  us  also,  to  whom  it 
shall  be  imputed,  if  we  believe  on  Him  that  raised  up 
Jesus  our  Lord  from  the  dead ;  who  was  delivered  for 
our  offences,  and  raised  again  for  our  justification." 
"  By  him  all  that  believe  are  justified  from  all  things." 
"That  Grod  might  be  just,  and  the  justifier  of  him 
that  believeth  in  Jesus."  "  It  is  evident,"  says  Presi- 
dent Edwards,  in  his  Sermons  on  Justification,  "  that 
the  subject  of  justification  is  looked  upon  as  destitute 
of  any  righteousness  in  himself,  by  that  expression, 
'It  is  counted,'  or  imputed,  'to  him  for  righteousness.' 
The  phrase,  as  the  apostle  uses  it,  Rom.  4  : 5,  and  in 
the  context,  manifestly  imports  that  God,  of  his  sover- 
eign grace,  is  pleased,  in  his  dealjugs  with  the  sinner, 
to  take  and  regard  that  which  indeed  is  not  righteous- 
ness, and  in  one  that  has  no  righteousness,  so  that 
the  consequence  shall  be  the  same  as  if  he  had  right- 
eousness ;  and  which  may  be  from  the  respect  that  it 
bears  to  something  which  is  indeed  righteous.  It  is 
as  if  he  had  said,  As  to  him  that  works,  there  is  no 


JUSTIFICATION  NOT  BY  WORKS.  247 

need  of  any  gracious  reckoning,  or  counting  it  for 
righteousness,  and  causing  the  reward  to  follow  as  if 
it  were  a  righteousness ;  for  if  he  has  works,  he  has 
that  which  is  a  righteousness  in  itself,  to  which  the 
reward  properly  belongs." 

5.  TJie  rewards  promised  in  the  Scriptures  to  good 
works  suppose  the  parties  to  he  believers  in  Christ;  and  so, 
being  accepted  in  him,  their  works  also  are  accepted  and  re- 
warded for  his  sake.  That  good  works  have  the  prom- 
ise of  salvation  is  beyond  dispute.  Nothing  that  God 
approves  shall  go  unrewarded.  The  least  expression 
of  faith  and  love,  even  the  giving  of  a  cup  of  cold 
water  to  a  disciple  of  Christ  because  he  belongs  to 
him,  will  insure  everlasting  life.  But  neither  this  nor 
any  other  good  work  can  be  a  ground  of  justification, 
inasmuch  as  it  is  subsequent  to  it.  For  works  to  have 
any  influence  on  this  blessing,  they  require  to  precede 
it ;  but  works  before  faith  are  never  acknowledged  by 
the  Scriptures  to  be  good.  It  was  testified  of  Enoch 
that  he  pleased  God ;  whence  the  apostle  to  the  He- 
brews infers  that  he  was  a  believer,  inasmuch  as 
"  without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  God."  "  It 
does  not,"  says  the  author  already  quoted,  "consist 
with  the  honor  of  the  majesty  of  the  King  of  heaven 
and  earth  to  accept  of  any  thing  from  a  condemned 
malefactor,  condemned  by  the  justice  of  his  own  holy 
law,  till  that  condemnation  be  removed."  The  Lord 
had  respect "  first  to  Abel,"  and  "  then  to  his  oifering." 
Even  those  works  which  are  the  expressions  of  faith 
and  love  have  so  much  sinful  imperfection  attached 
to  them,  that  they  require  to  be  presented  by  an  in- 
tercessor on  our  behalf.    The  most  spiritual  sacrifices 


248  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION, 

are  no  otherwise  acceptable  to  God  than  by  Jesus 
Christ. 

Perhaps  I  ought  not  to  conclude  this  part  of  the 
subject  without  noticing  the  apparent  opposition  be- 
tween Paul  and  James:  the  one  teaching  that  "we 
are  justified  by  faith,  without  the  deeds  of  the  law ;" 
the  other,  that  "  by  works  a  man  is  justified,  and  not 
by  faith  only."  The  words  are  apparently  opposite ; 
and  so  are  those  of  Solomon,  when  he  directs  us,  in 
one  proverb,  not  to  answer,  and  in  the  next,  to  answer 
a  fool  according  to  his  folly.  In  reconciling  these 
apparently  opposite  counsels,  we  are  led,  by  the  rea- 
sons given  for  each,  to  understand  the  terms  as  used 
in  different  senses :  the  former,  as  directing  us  not  to 
answer  a  fool  in  a  foolish  manner,  for  this  would 
make  us  like  unto  him ;  the  latter,  to  ailswer  him  in  a 
way  suited  to  expose  his  folly,  lest  he  be  wise  in  his 
own  conceit.  In  like  manner,  the  terms  faith  and  jus- 
tification were  used  by  Paul  and  James  in  a  different 
sense.  By  faith,  Paul  meant  that  which  worketh  by 
love,  and  is  productive  of  good  fruits;  but  James 
speaks  of  a  faith  which  is  dead,  being  alone.  By  jus- 
tification, Paul  means  the  acceptance  of  a  sinner  be- 
fore God;  but  James  refers  to  his  being  approved  of 
God  as  a  true  Christian.  "Both  these  apostles  bring 
the  case  of  Abraham  in  illustration  of  their  princi- 
ples ;  but  then  it  is  to  be  observed,  they  refer  to  dif- 
ferent periods  and  circumstances  in  the  life  of  that 
patriarch.  Paul,  in  the  first  instance,  says  of  Abra- 
ham, that  he  was  justified  by  faith  while  yet  uncir- 
cumcised:  this  was  his  justification  in  the  sight  of 
God,  and  was  without  any  consideration  of  his  works. 


JUSTIFICATION  NOT  BY  WORKS.  249 

James  refers  to  a  period  some  years  subsequent  to  this, 
when,  in  the  offering  up  of  his  son,  he  was  justified  by- 
works  also ;  that  is,  his  faith  was  shown  to  be  genuine 
by  its  fruits.  Paul  therefore  refers  to  the  acceptance 
of  a  sinner;  James  to  the  approbation  of  a  saint." 
The  word  "justification"  is  used  in  this  sense.  Matt. 
12  :  37 ;  1  Cor.  4  :  4. 

Or  this  subject  may  be  represented  in  a  few  words, 
thus: 

Paul  treats  of  the  justification  of  the  ungodly,  or 
the  way  in  which  sinners  are  accepted  of  God,'  and 
made  heirs  of  eternal  life.  James  speaks  of  the  jus- 
tification of  the  godly,  or  in  what  way  it  becomes 
evident  that  a  man  is  approved  of  God.  The  former 
is  by  the  righteousness  of  Christ;  the  latter  is  by 
works.  The  former  of  these  is  that  which  justifies ; 
the  latter  is  that  by  which  it  appears  that  we  are  jus- 
tified. The  term  justification,  in  the  former  of  these 
passages,  is  taken  in  a  primary  sense;  in  the  latter, 
it  is  taken  in  a  secondary  sense  only,  as  in  Matt. 
11 :  19,  and  in  other  places. 

Supported  by  this  body  of  scripture  evidence,  as 
well  as  by  the  experience  we  have  had  of  the  holy 
and  happy  influence^of  the  doctrine,  I  trust  we  shall 
continue  unmoved  in  our  adherence  to  it.  Let  others 
boast  of  the  efficacy  of  their  own  virtues,  we  with  the 
apostle  will "  count  all  things  but  loss  for  the  excellen- 
cy of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord ;"  will 
"  count  all  things  but  dung,  that  we  may  win  Christ, 
and  be  found  in  him,  not  having  our  own  righteous- 
11* 


250  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

ness,  which  is  of  the  law,  but  that  which  is  through 
the  faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God 
by  faith." 

The  likeness  which  is  drawn  by  our  Saviour  of  the 
Pharisees  in  his  time,  bears  a  minute  resemblance  to 
the  character  of  great  numbers  in  every  age;  all 
their  works  are  done  to  be  seen  of  men,  and  consti- 
tute the  ground  of  their  hope  of  acceptance  with  God. 
The  sentiments  of  their  hearts  in  their  devout  ad- 
dresses to  their  Maker,  if  put  into  words,  would  be  to 
this  effect :  "  God,  I  thank- thee  that  I  am  not  as  other 
men,  extortioners,  unjust,  adulterers,  or  even  as  this 
publican."  It  is  not  common  for  those  who  pay  any 
regard  to  the  Scriptures  expressly  to  arrogate  to 
themselves  the  honor  of  making  themselves  to  differ. 
Most  men  will  thank  God  that  they  are  what  they 
are ;  and  the  Pharisee  did  the  same.  Many  will  now 
acknowledge,'  in  addition  to  this,  that  their  hopes  of 
being  accepted  of  God  are  "through  the  merits  of 
Jesus  Christ;"  but  it  is  not  by  such  language  that  a 
self-righteous  spirit  is  to  be  disguised.  Nor  is  it 
peculiar  to  those  whom  we  call  respectable  persons 
"  to  trust  that  they  are  righteous  and  despise  others ;" 
for  the  same  spirit  may  be  seen  in  the  most  profligate 
of  mankind.  Judging  of  themselves  by  others,  they 
derive  comfort ;  for  they  can  always  find  characters 
worse  than  their  own.  Reprove  a  common  swearer, 
and  he  will  thank  God  he  means  no  harm ;  for  he  is 
frank  and  open,  and  not  as  that  liar.  Convict  a  liar, 
and  he  will  argue  that  in  this  wicked  world  a  man 
cannot  live  if  he  always  speak  truth ;  and  he  is  not  a 


JUSTIFICATION  NOT  BY  WORKS.  251 

thief.  The  thief  pleads  that  he  never  was  guilty  of 
murder ;  and  even  the  murderer  says  that  he  was  pro- 
voked to  it.  Thus  they  can  each  find  worse  charac- 
ters than  their  own :  the  motto  of  each  is,  "  God,  I 
thank  thee  that  I  am  not  as  other  men." 

The  Rev.  Thomas  Scott,  the  commentator,  was 
some  years  since  appointed  chaplain  to  a  charitable 
asylum,  where  his  constant  business  was  to  visit  and 
converse  with  persons  who  by  their  own  misconduct 
were  reduced  to  the  most  deplorable  condition.  On 
receiving  his  appointment,  he  thought  within  himself, 
I  shall  have  one  advantage :  I  shall  not  have  to  en- 
counter a  self-righteous  spirit.  But  on  entering  upon 
his  office  he  soon  perceived  his  mistake,  and  that  there 
was  no  less  pharisaism  in  these  dregs  of  society,  than 
among  the  more  refined  and  sober  part  of  mankind. 

Much  of  this  spirit  is  seen  under  the  convictions  and 
alarms  of  awakened  sinners.  The  conflicts  of  mind  by 
which  many  for  a  long  time  are  deprived  of  all  peace 
and  enjoyment,  are  no  other  than  the  struggles  be- 
tween the  gospel  way  of  salvation  and  a  secret  attach- 
ment to  self-righteousness.  When  terrified  by  the 
threatenings  of  the  word,  or  the  near  approach  of 
death,  the  first  refuge  to  which  the  sinner  usually  be- 
takes himself  is  the  promise  of  amendment.  He  vows 
to  reform,  and  this  affords  him  a- little  ease.  For  a 
time  it  may  be  his  gross  vices  are  relinquished ;  he 
carefully  attends  to  religious  duties ;  and  while  this 
lasts,  he  flatters  himself  that  he  is  a  better  man,  and 
supposes  the  Almighty  is  no  less  pleased  with  him 
than  he  is  pleased  with  himself.  If  he  rest  here,  his 
pride  proves  his  eternal  overthrow. 


252  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

But  it  may  be  his  rest  here  is  short.  It  commonly 
proves  that  the  yows  and  resolutions  thus  made  are 
like  the  morning  cloud  and  the  early  dew  that  goeth 
away.  A  new  temptation  to  some  old  sin,  which  was 
not  mortified,  but  had  merely  retired  during  the  pres- 
ent alarm,  undoes  all.  Now  remorse  and  fearful  ap- 
prehension take  possession  of  the  soul,  not  only  on 
account  of  its  having  sinned  against  greater  light 
than  heretofore,  but  for  destroying  its  own  refuge. 
The  gourd  is  smitten,  and  the  sinner,  exposed  as  to  a 
vehement  east  wind,  fainteth.  Yet  even  here  spirit- 
ual pride  will  insinuate  itself  and  offer  a  species  of 
false  comfort.  While  he  is  weeping  over  his  sins, 
and  bemoaning  the  unhappiness  of  his  case,  that  he 
should  thus  undo  all  his  hopes,  a  soothing  thought 
suggests  itself:  Will  not  the  Almighty  have  compas- 
sion on  me  for  these  penitential  tears?  surely  my 
mournings  will  be  heard,  and  my  lamentations  go  up 
before  him.  Many  have  stopped  short  here,  and  it  is 
to  be  feared,  have  missed  of  eternal  life. 

But  it  may  be  he  is  disturbed  from  this  repose  also. 
Conscience  becomes  more  enlightened  by  reading  and 
hearing  the  word.  He  is  convinced  that  neither 
tears  nor  prayers,  nor  aught  else  but  the  blood-shed- 
ding of  the  Saviour,  will  take  away  sin;  and  that 
there  is  no  way  of  being  saved  by  Him,  but  by  believ- 
ing in  him.  Yet  a  thought  occurs,  Can  such  a  sinner 
as  I  believe  in  Christ?  Would  it  not  be  presump- 
tion to  hope  that  one  so  unfit  and  unworthy  as  I  am 
should  be  accepted  ?  This  thought  proceeds  upon  a 
supposition  that  some  degree  of  previous  fitness  or 
worthiness  is  necessary  to  recommend  us  to  the  Sav- 


JUSTIFICATION  NOT  BY  WORKS.  253 

iour,  which  is  repugnant  to  the  whole  tenor  of  the 
gospel,  and  so  long  as  it  continues  to  influence  our 
decisions  will  be  an  insuperable  bar  to  believing. 

Self-righteousness,  at  some  stages,  will  work  in  a 
way  of  despair.  Ther  sinner,  finding  that  no  duties 
performed  in  impenitence  and  unbelief  are  any  way 
available,  or  in  the  least  degree  pleasing  to  God — 
that  no  means  are  pointed  out  in  the  Scriptures  by 
which  a  hard-hearted  sinner  may  obtain  a' heart  of 
flesh — and  that,  nevertheless,  he  is  told  to  repent  and 
believe  in  Jesus,  or  perish  for  ever,  sinks  into  de- 
spondency. Hard  thoughts  are  entertained  of  God. 
He  thinks  he  has  taken  all  possible  pains  with  him- 
self; and  if  what  he  possesses  be  not  repentance  nor 
faith,  he  has  no  hopes  of  ever  obtaining  them.  God, 
it  seems  to  him,  requires  impossibilities,  and  can 
therefore  be  no  other  than  a  hard  master,  reaping 
where  he  has  not  sown,  and  gathering  where  he  has 
not  strewed.  The  religious  efforts  of  some,  like  those 
of  the  slothful  servant,  end  here.  All  is  given  up  as 
a  hopeless  case,  and  the  things  which  their  hearts, 
amidst  all  their  convictions,  have  been  lingering 
after,  are  again  pursued. 

It  is  from  the  exceeding  depravity  of  the  soul  that 
our  necessities  arise.  We  are  sinners.  Every  man 
who  believes  there  is  a  God  and  a  future  state,  or  even 
only  admits  the  possibility  of  them,  feels  the  want  of 
mercy.  The  first  inquiries  of  a  mind  awakened  to 
reflection  will  be,  how  he  may  escape  from  the  wrath 
to  come — ^how  he  shall  get  over  his  everlasting  ruin. 
A  heathen,  previously  to  any  Christian  instruction, 


254  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

exclaimed  in  the  moment  of  alarm,  "  What  must  I  do 
to  be  saved  ?"  Acts  16  :  30.  And  several  Moham- 
medans, being  warned  by  a  Christian  minister  of  their 
sinful  state,  came  the  next  morning  to  him  with  this 
very  serious  question, "  How  shall  we  get  over  ?"  To 
answer  these  inquiries  is  beyond  the  power  of  any 
principles  but  those  of  the  gospel.  Philosophy  may 
conjecture,  superstition  may  deceive,  and  even  a  false 
system  of  Christianity  may  be  aiding  and  abetting ; 
each  may  labor  to  lull  the  conscience  to  sleep,  but 
none  of  them  can  yield  it  satisfaction.  It  is  only  by 
believing  in  Jesus  Christ,  the  great  sacrifice  that  tak- 
eth  away  the  sin  of  the  world,  that  the  sinner  obtains 
a  relief  which  will  bear  reflection — a  relief  which  at 
the  same  time  gives  peace  to  the  mind  and  purity 
to  the  heart.  For  the  truth  of  this  also  I  appeal  to 
all  who  have  made  the  trial. 

Where,  but  in  the  gospel,  will  you  find  relief  under 
the  innumerable  ills  of  the  present  state?  This  is 
the  well  known  refuge  of  Christians.  Are  they  poor, 
afflicted,  persecuted,  or  reproached?  They  are  led 
to  consider  Him  who  endured  the  contradiction  of  sin- 
ners, who  lived  a  life  of  poverty  and  ignominy,  who 
endured  persecution  and  reproach,  and  -death  itself, 
for  them;  and  to  realize  a  blessed  immortality  in 
prospect.  By  a  view  of  such  things  their  hearts  are 
cheered,  and  their  afflictions  become  tolerable.  Look- 
ing to  Jesus,  who  for  the  joy  set  before  him  endured 
the  cross,  despising  the  shame,  and  is  now  set  down 
at  the  right  hand  of  the  throne  of  God,  they  run  with 
patience  the  race  which  is  set  before  them.  But  what 
is  the  comfort  of  unbelievers?    Life  being  short,  and 


JUSTIFICATION  NOT  BY  WORKS.  255 

having  no  ground  to  hope  for  any  thing  beyond  it,  if 
they  be  crossed  here  they  become  inconsolable.  Hence 
it  is  not  uncommon  for  persons  of  this  description, 
after  the  example  of  the  philosophers  and  statesmen 
of  Greece  and  Rome,  when  they  find  themselves  de- 
pressed by  adversity,  and  have  no  prospect  of  recov- 
ering their  fortunes,  to  put  a  period  to  their  lives. 
Unhappy  men  1  Is  this  the  felicity  to  which  ye  would 
introduce  us  ?  Is  it  in  guilt,  shame,  remorse,  and  des- 
peration that  ye  descry  such  charms  ?  Admitting  that 
our  hope  of  immortality  is  visionary,  where  is  the 
injury?  If  it  be  a  dream,  is  it  not  a  pleasant  one? 
To  say  the  least,  it  beguiles  many  a  melancholy  hour, 
and  can  do  no  mischief ;  but  if  it  be  a  reality,  what 
will  become  of  you  ? 


256  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


CHAPTER   X. 

THE  REDEMPTION  OF  CHRIST  THE  PROCURINa 
CAUSE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

Having  endeavored  to  explain  and  establish  the 
doctrine  of  justification,  I  shall  now  proceed  to  show 

THE   CONSISTENCY   OF  ITS  BEING   OF   FREE  GRACE,  AND 
YET  THROUGH  THE  REDEMPTION  OF  JeSUS  ChRIST. 

This  is  a  subject  of  the  highest  importance.  Al- 
most every  thing  pertaining  to  the  way  of  salvation  is 
affected  by  it.  The  principal  reason  alleged  by  those 
who  reject  the  doctrine  of  atonement,  is  its  inconsist- 
ency with  grace.  God  needed  nothing,  they  say,  but 
his  own  goodness,  to  induce  him  to  show  mercy ;  or, 
if  he  did,  it  is  not  of  grace,  seeing  a  price  is  paid  to 
obtain  it.  The  question,  however,  does  not  respect 
the  first  moving  cause  of  mercy,  but  the  manner  of 
showing  it.  The  friends  of  the  doctrine  of  atone- 
ment allow  that  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  was  not  the 
cause,  but  the  effect  of  the  Father's  love.  They  do 
not  scruple  to  admit  that  his  love  was  sufficient  to 
have  pardoned  sinners  without  an  atonement,  pro- 
vided it  had  been  consistent  with  the  righteousness 
of  his  character  and  government.  "  It  is  not  the  sen- 
timent,  but  the  expression  of  love,"  that  requires  an 
atonement.  David  was  not  wanting  in  love  to  his 
son  Absalom,  for  "  his  soul  longed  to  go  forth  to  him ;" 


BY  THE  REDEMPTION  OF  CHRIST.  257 

but  he  felt  for  his  honor,  as  the  head  of  a  family  and 
of  a  nation,  which,  had  he  admitted  him  immediately 
into  his  presence,  would  have  been  compromised,  and 
the  crime  of  murder  connived  at.  Hence,  for  a  time, 
he  must  be  kept  at  a  distance,  and  when  introduced, 
it  must  be  by  a  mediator.  This  statement,  which  has 
been  made  in  substance  repeatedly,  has  seldom,  if 
ever,  been  fairly  met  by  writers  who  oppose  this  doc- 
trine. I  never  recollect,  at  least,  to  have  seen  or 
heard  any  thing  like  a  fair  answer  to  it. 

It  is  remarkable,  too,  that  those  who  make  this 
objection  never  appear  to  regard  the  doctrine  of  grace 
but  for  the  purpose  of  making  void' the  atonement. 
On  all  other  occasions  grace  is  virtually  disowned, 
and  works  are  every  thing ;  but  here  it  is  magnified 
in  much  the  same  manner  as  the  Father  is  honored 
as  the  object  of  worship,  to  the  exclusion  of  the  Son. 

Cases  may  be  supposed,  I  acknowledge,  in  which 
the  ideas  of  grace  and  atonement  would  be  incon- 
sistent. 

1.  If  the  atonement  were  made  by  the  offender 
himself  enduring  the  full  penalty  of  the  law,  his  deliv- 
erance would  be  a  matter  of  right,  and  there  would 
be  no  grace,  in  it.  But,  as  in  a  case  of  murder,  it  is 
not  in  the  sinner's  power  to  make  atonement  for  him- 
self, so  as  to  survive  his  punishment.  The  punishment 
threatened  against  sin  is  everlasting,  which  admits  of 
no  period  when  the  penalty  shall  have  been  endured. 
No  man  therefore  can,  by  any  length  of  suffering, 
redeem  his  own  soul. 

2.  If  the  sufferings  of  another  could  avail  for  the 
offender,  and  he  Mmself  were  to  provide  the  substi- 


I 


258  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

tute,  his  deliverance  miglit  be  a  matter  of  right,  and 
there  might  be  no  grace  in  it.  But  neither  of  these 
suppositions  can  exist  in  the  case  before  us.  Strict 
distributive  justice  could  not  admit  of  the  innocent 
suffering  for  the  guilty,  even  though  the  innocent 
were  willing.  Its  language  is.  Whosoever  hath  sin- 
ned against  me,  him  will  I  blot  out  of  my  book.  But 
if  it  could,  the  guilty  party  could  not  find  a  substitute 
either  able  or  willing  to  stand  in  his  place. 

3.  If  God  himself  should  both  consent  to  accept  of 
a  substitute,  and  actually  provide  one,  yet  if  the  acts 
and  deeds  of  sinners  be  considered  as  literally  becoming 
his,  and  his  theirs,  whatever  grace  there  might  be  in  the 
acceptance  and  provision  of  the  substitute,  there  would 
be  no  place  for  the  forgiveness  of  the  sinner,  and  justi- 
fication would  be  merely  an  act  of  justice.  If  Christ, 
in  having  our  sins  imputed  to  him,  became  a  sinner, 
and,  as  some  have  said,  the  greatest  of  all  sinners, 
then  in  his  sufferings  he  was  only  treated  according 
to  his  desert ;  and  that  desert  belonging  to  him,  could 
no  longer  belong  to  us ;  so  that,  had  we  been  in  exist- 
ence, and  known  of  it,  we  might  from  that  moment 
have  claimed  our  deliverance  as  a  matter  of  right. 
And  if  we,  in  having  the  righteousness  of  Christ  imputed 
to  us,  become  that  which  he  was,  namely,  meritorious, 
or  deserving  of  eternal  life,  then  might  we  disown  the 
character  of  supplicants,  and  approach  the  Judge  of 
all  in  language  suited  to  those  who  had  always  pleased 
him.  But  neither  can  this  be.  The  acts  and  deeds 
of  one  may  affect  others,  but  can  in  no  case  become 
actually  theirs,  or  be  so  transferred  as  to  render  that 
justice  which  would  otherwise  have  been  of  grace. 


BY  THE  REDEMPTION  OF  CHRIST.  259 

The  imputation  of  our  sins  to  Christ,  and  of  his  right- ' 
eousness  to  us,  does  not  consist  in  a  transfer  of  either 
the  one  or  the  other,  except  in  their  effects.  Christ 
suffered,  not  because  he  was^  but  merely  as  if  he  had 
hem  the  sinner:  notwithstanding  the  imputation  of 
sin  to  him,  he  died,  "  the  just  for  the  unjust."  On  the 
other  hand,  we  are  justified,  not  because  we  are,  but 
as  though  we  were  righteous;  for  the  worthiness  be- 
longs to  him,  and  not  to  us. 

Finally,  if  justification  through  the  redemption  of 
Christ  were  considered  as  not  only  consistent  with 
justice,  but  required  by  it,  it  must,  I  think,  be  allowed 
that  every  idea  of  grace  is  excluded.  That  favor 
towards  creatures  which  justice  requires  must  needs 
be  their  due,  which  leaves  no  room  for  grace.  It  is 
only  of  God's  essential  justice,  however,  that  this  is 
true,  and  not  of  his  covenant  righteousness,  which 
relates  to  his  own  free  engagements.  God  having 
pledged  his  word,  would  be  unrighteous  to  forget 
the  work  and  labor  of  love  of  his  believing  people ; 
and  thus  it  is  that,  *'if  we  confess  our  sins,  he  is 
faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins."  The  right- 
eous fulfilment  of  engagements  made  in  a  way  of 
grace  is  not  opposed  to  it ;  but  that  which  is  required 
by  essential  justice  is. 

This  representation  of  things  cannot  in  any  wise 
depreciate  the  merit  of  Christ;  for  be  this  what  it 
may,  it  is  not  ours,  and  cannot  therefore  constitute 
any  claim  on  our  behalf,  but  in  virtue  of  God's  free 
promises,  which,  being  made  in  grace,  continue  such 
in  all  their  fulfilments. 

It  is  enough  if  the  justification  of  sinners  be  con- 


260  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

sistent  with  justice;  and  this  renders  the  whole  in 
harmony  with  grace.  Such  was  the  value  of  Christ's 
blood-shedding,  as,  in  regard  to  its  effects  on  the 
divine  government,  to  be  equivalent  to  our  being 
everlastingly  punished ;  and  such  the  merit  of  his 
obedience,  as  to  be  worthy  of  all  that  God  has  be- 
stowed on  us  in  reward  of  it;  yet,  as  there  is  no 
transfer  but  of  the  effects,  it  does  not  in  the  least 
interfere  with  grace. 

If  the  principles  on  which  the  doctrine  of  atone- 
ment proceeds  be  carefully  considered,  they  will  not 
only  be  found  consistent  with  grace,  but  will  rank 
among  the  strongest  evidences  in  favor  of  it. 

In  proof  of  this,  let  the  following  observations  be 
duly  considered: 

1.  It  is  common  among  men,  in  showing  kindness  to 
the  umvorthy,  to  do  it  out  of  regard  to  one  that  is  worthy; 
which  kindness  is  nevertJiekss  considered  as  a  matter  of 
free  favor.  You  had  a  friend  whom  you  loved  as  your 
own  soul.  He  died  and  left  an  only  son.  The  son 
proves  a  dissolute,  worthless  man,  and  reduces  himself 
to  beggary.  Still  he  is  the  son  of  your  friend,  and 
you  wish  to  show  him  kindness.  If  your  kindness  be 
unaccompanied  with  an  explanation  of  your  motives, 
he  may  think  you  have  no  dislike  to  his  vices.  Young 
man,  say  you,  therefore,  I  am  sorry  it  is  not  in  my 
power  to  be  your  friend  from  a  respect  to  your  own 
character;  but  I  knew  and  loved  your  father,  and 
what  I  do  for  you  is  for  his  sake.  Here  is  an  exercise 
of  both  justice  and  grace ;  justice  to  the  memory  of 
the  worthy,  and  grace  in  the  relief  of  the  unworthy. 
The  worthiness  of  the  father  is  imputed  to  the  son, 


BY  THE  REDEMPTION  OF  CHRIST.  261 

inasmuch  as,  in  consequence  of  it,  lie  is  treated  as 
though  he  were  himself  worthy ;  but  it  makes  no  dif- 
ference as  to  his  real  character  or  deserts,  nor  in  any- 
wise renders  what  is  done  to  him  less  a  matter  of 
grace,  than  if  it  had  not  been  done  in  considera- 
tion of  his  father's  worthiness.  If  Onesimus  were 
forgiven  by  Philemon  at  the  intercession  of  Paul,  as 
there  is  no  reason  to  doubt  that  he  was,  he  would 
not  on  that  account  think  of  its  being  less  an  act  of 
grace, 

2.  God,  in  his  dealings  with  mankind,  has  frequently 
proceeded  upon  the  same  principle,  bestowing  blessings  on 
the  unworthy  out  of  respect  to  on£  that  was  worthy; 
which  blessings,  nevertheless,  have  been  of  pure  grace. 
God  promised  the  posterity  of  Noah  exemption  from 
a  future  flood ;  but  knowing  that  they  would  utterly 
corrupt  themselves,  his  covenant  was  primarily  made 
with  him.  It  was  thus  in  the  blessings  promised  to 
the  posterity  of  Abraham.  The  Lord,  knowing  that 
they  would  be  very  corrupt,  spoke  thus  to  Abraham 
himself:  "As  for  me,  behold,  my  covenant  is  vnth 
thee,  and  thou  shalt  be  a  father  of  many  nations.'' 
Hence,  in  a  great  number  of  instances  wherein  mercy 
was  shown  to  the  rebellious  Israelites,  they  were 
reminded  that  it  was  "not  for  their  sakes,"  but  on 
account  of  the  covenant  made  with  their  father  Abra- 
ham, and  renewed  with  Isaac  and  Jacob.  Thus,  also, 
in  the  covenant  made  with  David,  God  blessed  his 
posterity  for  his  sake,  saying,  "My  covenant  shall 
stand  fast  loith  himJ^  And  when  the  heart  of  Solo- 
mon was  turned  away  from  the  Lord  God  of  Israel, 
he  was  told,  that  if  the  Lord  did  not  rend  the  kingdom 


2G2  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

utterly  from  him,  it  would  not  be  for  his  sake,  but  for 
David  his  servant's  sake,  and  for  Jerusalem's  sake, 
which  he  had  chosen.  In  these  instances,  ihere  was 
a  display  of  both  justice  and  grace,  and  the  righteous- 
ness of  the  fathers  was,  as  I  may  say,  imputed  to  the 
children,  inasmuch  as,  in  consequence  of  it,  they  were 
treated  as  if  they  themselves  were  righteous;  but  it 
makes  no  difference  as  to  their  deserts,  nor  in  any 
wise  renders  what  was  done  to  them  less  a  matter  of 
grace,  than  if  it  had  proceeded  merely  from  the  divine 
goodness,  and  without  any  consideration  of  the  right- 
eousness of  their  fathers.  So  far  from  this,  the  very 
language,  "  Not  for  your  sakes  do  I  this,  be  it  known 
unto  you,  but  for  my  holy  name's  sake,  and  for  the 
covenant  that  I  made  with  your  fathers,"  would  tend 
more  than  any  thing  to  humble  them,  and  to  impress 
them  with  the  idea  that  what  they  had  was  altogether 
of  grace. 

If  it  be  objected  that  in  these  cases,  though  the 
blessing  was  of  grace  to  the  party  receiving  it,  yet 
it  was  in  reward  of  the  party  for  whose  sake  it  was 
given ;  I  answer.  It  is  in  respect  to  the  party  receiv- 
ing, and  him  only,  that  it  is  called  grace  ;  and  this  is 
sufficient  for  its  being  so  denominated.  It  is  of  what 
justification  is  to  us,  and  not  what  it  is  to  Christ,  that 
the  apostle  speaks.  It  is  enough  if  it  be  of  grace  to 
us,  and  if  God's  bestowing  it  upon  us  out  of  respect  to 
the  worthiness  of  his  Son  do  not  diminish  that  grace, 
but  on  the  contrary  augment  it. 

But  it  may  be  said,  that  in  these  cases  there  was 
no  example  of  the  innocent  suffering  for  the  guilty ; 
no  atonement ;  no  redemption  of  the  parties  by  a  sac- 


BY  THE  EEDEMPTION  OF  CHRIST.  263 

rij&ce  offered  in  their  stead.    We  therefore  proceed  to 
observe, 

3.  God,  in  the  appointment  of  animal  sacrifices,  though 
they  were  only  shadows  of  good  things  to  come,  sancti- 
fied the  principle  of  sin  being  expiated  by  the  sufferings 
of  a  substitute,  and  yet  represented  t/ie  sinner  as  freely 
FORGIVEN.  The  process  of  the  burnt-offering  is  thus 
described  :  "  If  his  offering  be  a  burnt-sacrifice  of  the 
herd,  let  him  offer  a  male  without  blemish ;  he  shall 
offer  it  of  his  own  voluntary  will,"  or,  as  Ainsworth 
renders  it,  for  acceptance,  "at  the  door  of  the  taber- 
nacle of  the  congregation  before  the  Lord.  And  he 
shall  put  his  hand  upon  the  head  of  the  burnt-offer- 
ing :  and  it  shall  be  accepted  for  him  to  make  atone- 
ment for  him,"  etc.  The  current  language  concerning 
these  sacrifices  is,  "And  the  priest  shall  make  an 
atonement  for  him  as  concerning  his  sin  that  he  hath 
committed,  and  it  shall  be  forgiven  himJ'  In  all  these 
transactions  there  was  justice  and  grace :  justice  in 
requiring  a  sacrifice,  and  grace  in  forgiving  the  trans- 
gressor. There  was  also  imputation :  the  sin  of  the 
party  was  imputed  to  the  appointed  victim,  which  was 
reckoned  as  though  it  were  the  sinner,  and  treated  as 
such  in  the  divine  administration.  The  atonement 
made  by  the  sacrifice  was,  on  the  other  hand,  imputed 
to  him  that  offered  it  ^  that  is,  it  was  reckoned  to  his 
account,  and  he  was  treated  accordingly.  This  is 
clear  from  what  is  said  of  one  the  flesh  of  whose  offer- 
ing was  neglected  to  be  eaten  before  the  third  day, 
according  to  appointment :  "  It  shall  not  be  accepted, 
neither  shall  it  be  imputed  unto  him  that  offereth  it : 
it  shall  be  an  abomination,  and  the  soul  that  eateth  of 


I 


264  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

it  shall  bear  his  iniquity ;"  implying  that  if  offered 
according  to  the  divine  appointment,  it  was  accepted 
for  him,  and  imputed  to  him,  and  he  should  not  bear 
his  iniquity. 

In  all  these  substitutional  sacrifices,  atonement 
did  not  operate  to  the  diminution  of  grace ;  they  were 
not  such  a  payment  of  the  sinner's  debt  as  that  he 
should  be  entitled  to  deliverance  as  a  matter  of  claim ; 
since  the  issue  of  all  was,  "And  his  sins  shall  be/or- 
given  him."  On  the  contrary,  every  thing  was  calcu- 
lated to  magnify  the  grace  of  God,  and  to  humble  the 
sinner  in  the  dust  before  him.  Of  this  tendency  par- 
ticularly, was  his  having  to  lay  his  hand  upon  the 
head  of  the  sacrifice,  confessing  his  sin,  and  acknow- 
ledging, in  effect,  that  if  he  had  been  treated  accord- 
ing to  his  deserts,  he  himself  must  have  been  the 
victim. 

The  doctrine  of  sacrifices  receives  an  interesting 
illustration  from  the  case  of  Job  and  his  three  friends: 
"  And  it  was  so,  that  after  the  Lord  had  spoken  these 
words  unto  Job,  the  Lord  said  to  Eliphaz  the  Teman- 
ite.  My  wrath  is  kindled  against  thee,  and  against  thy 
two  friends ;  for  ye  have  not  spoken  of  me  the  thing 
that  is  right,  as  my  servant  Job  hath.  Therefore 
take  unto  you  now  seven  bullocks  and  seven  rams, 
and  go  to  my  servant  Job,  and  offer  up  for  yourselves 
a  burnt-offering ;  and  my  servant  Job  shall  pray  for 
you,  for  him  will  I  accept ;  lest  I  deal  with  you  after 
your  folly." 

We  see  here  that  the  three  friends  could  not  be 
justified  on  the  ground  of  their  own  conduct.  They 
must  either  be  accepted  through  a  sacrifice  and  inter- 


[  BY  THE   REDEMPTION  OF  CHRIST.  265 

ccssor,  or  be  dealt  with  according  to  their  folly.  And 
this  sacrifice  and  intercession,  instead  of  making  void 
the  grace  of  the  transaction,  goes  to  establish  it.  It 
must  have  been  not  a  little  humiliating  to  Eliphaz 
and  his  companions  to  be  made  to  understand  that 
all  their  zeal  for  God  had  been  folly,  and  required  an 
atonement ;  that  the  Lord  would  not  receive  a  petition 
at  their  hands ;  that  the  sacrifices  must  be  brought 
to  Job,  and  offered  up  in  his  presence ;  and  that,  after 
all  their  contumelious  language  to  him,  they  must  owe 
their  acceptance  to  his  intercession.  Had  they  been 
forgiven  without  this  process,  their  sin  must  have  ap- 
peared light,  and  the  grace  of  God  in  its  forgiveness 
have  been  diminished,  in  their  apprehension,  in  com- 
parison of  what  it  was. 

4.  The  JYew  Testament,  while  it  represents  the  interpo- 
sition of  Christ  as  necessary  for  the  consistent  exercise  of 
mercy,  ascribes  the  whole  of  our  salvation,  nevertheless,  to 
the  free  grace  of  God.  I  need  not  prove  this  position 
by  a  number  of  references.  The  doctrine  of  the  New 
Testament  on  this  subject  is  summarily  comprehended 
in  the  third  chapter  of  Paul's  epistle  to  the  Romans. 
Having  stated  that  we  are  "justified  freely  by  grace, 
through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus,"  he 
adds,  "  whom  God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation, 
through  faith  in  his  blood,  to  declare  his  righteous- 
ness for  the  remission  of  sins  that  are  past,  through 
the  forbearance  of  God ;  to  declare,  I  say,  at  this  time 
his  righteousness,  that  he  might  be  just,  and  the  justi- 
fier  of  him  which  believeth  in  Jesus." 

"  Whom  God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation." 
We  see  here  in  what  "  the  redemption  of  Christ,"  by 

k Atonement.  1  2 


266  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

which  we  are  justified,  consisted.  He  himself  was 
made  an  expiatory  sacrifice,  through  which  God  might 
be  propitious  to  sinners,  without  any  dishonor  attach- 
ing to  his  character. 

"Through  faith  in  his  blood."  In  order  to  an 
Israelite  being  benefited  by  the  appointed  sacrifices, 
it  was  necessary  for  him,  or  for  the  priest  on  his  be- 
half, to  put  his  hands  upon  the  head  of  the  animal, 
and  there  to  make  confession  of  sins.  Hence  the 
offerers  of  sacrifices  are  denominated  "the  comers 
thereunto."  And  thus  it  is  necessary  to  our  deriving 
benefit  from  the  propitiation  of  Christ,  that  we  should 
believe  in  him. 

"  To  declare  his  righteousness  for  the  remission  of 
sins."  The  first  thing  necessary  in  our  justification  is 
the  remission  of  sin.  The  grand  impediment  to  this 
was,  that  it  would  throw  odium  upon  the  "  righteous- 
ness" of  God;  representing  either  his  precepts  and 
threatenings  as  too  rigid  to  be  put  in  execution,  or 
his  mercy  as  being  mere  connivance.  Hence,  when 
a  great  act  of  mercy  was  to  be  shown,  it  became 
necessary  to  preface  it  by  a  declaration  or  demonstra- 
tion of  righteousness.  God,  by  making  his  beloved 
Son  a  sacrifice,  practically  declared  or  demonstrated, 
in  the  presence  of  the  universe,  his  determination  to 
maintain  the  honor  of  his  government,  and  his  utter 
abhorrence  of  sin.  Having  done  this,  he  can  now 
forgive  the  believing  sinner  without  any  suspicion  of 
connivance  attaching  to  his  character. 

"Sins  that  are  past,  through  the  forbearance  of 
God."  The  propitiation  of  Christ  was  not  only  ne- 
cessary in  behalf  of  believers  under  the  times  of  the 


BY  THE  REDEMPTION  OF  CHRIST.  267 

gospel,  but  of  those  in  former  ages.  Those  who  had 
offered  sacrifices  were  not  given  in  virtue  of  them,  but 
of  this.  On  the  ground  of  Christ's  undertaking  to 
become  a  propitiation  in  the  fulness  of  time,  the  "  for- 
bearance of  God"  was  exercised  towards  them.  And 
now  that  his  righteousness  is  declared,  he  can  be  "just, 
and  the  justifier  of  him  which  believeth  in  Jesus." 

Supposing  the  foregoing  comments  to  be  the  sub- 
stance of  the  apostle's  meaning,  what  is  there  in  any 
part  of  it  which  renders  void,  or  in  any  wise  dimin- 
ishes the  free  grace  of  God?  Does  the  declaration 
or  demonstration  of  his  righteousness  "for  the  remis- 
sion of  sins  "  render  it  no  remission  ?  Would  it  have 
been  more  of  a  favor  for  God  to  have  pardoned  sin 
without  any  regard  to  righteousness,  than  with  it? 
Is  there  any  thing  in  the  whole  proceeding  that  puts 
the  sinner  in  possession  of  a  claim  on  the  ground  of 
essential  justice,  or  which  warrants  him  to  hope  for 
an  interest  in  its  blessed  results  without  coming  to 
the  Saviour  as  guilty  and  unworthy  ? 

There  is  nothing  in  the  New  Testament  which 
represents  the  death  of  Christ  as  superseding  the 
necessity  of  repentance,  confession,  and  humble  sup- 
plication, or  as  investing  the  believer  with  any  other 
claim  of  spiritual  blessings  than  that  which  arises 
from  the  free  promise  of  God  through  his  dear  Son. 
We  never  read  there  of  "  suing  out  our  right,"  nor 
of  mercy  being  a  matter  of  demand  since  Christ  has 
paid  the  debt.  All  is  in  the  language  of  supplication 
in  the  name  of  Christ. 

The  intercession  of  Christ  himself  on  our  behalf 
proceeds  upon  the  same  principle.    It  would  not 


268  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

otherwise  be  intercession.  "  Grace/'  as  Dr.  Goodwin 
observes,  "requires  to  be  applied  for  in  a  way  of 
entreaty  and  intercession." 

Those  who  plead  for  the  intercession  of  Christ  in 
a  way  of  authority  or  demand,  ground  it  on  his  sacri- 
fice and  merits  ;  which  being  of  infinite  worth,  must, 
they  suppose,  entitle  him  to  ask  favors  for  his  people  in 
this  manner.  That  God  in  love  to  his  dear  Son  should 
reward  this  voluntary  obedience  unto  death  with  the 
bestowment  of  eternal  salvation  on  them  that  believe 
in  him,  and  even  lay  himself  under  obligation  to  do 
so,  is  perfectly  consistent  with  its  being  of  grace ;  but 
obligation  of  this  kind  furnishes  no  ground  for  de- 
mand, nor  does  it  appear  from  the  Scriptures  that  the 
Majesty  of  heaven  and  earth  was  ever  so  approached. 
In  the  gospel  way  of  salvation,  grace  and  justice  meet, 
or  are  combined  in  the  same  thing.  Grace,  through 
the  righteousness  of  Jesus,  "  reigns"  nqt  in  one  or  two 
stages,  but  in  every  stage,  "  unto  eternal  life ;"  but  on 
the  principle  of  salvation  being  an  object  of  demand, 
it  must,  in  some  stages  of  it,  become  a  matter  of  mere 
justice :  it  might  be  grace  to  provide  the  deliverer, 
but  there  would  be  none  in  the  delivei:ance  itself. 

However  worthy  Christ  was  to  receive  power,  and 
strength,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  blessing,  yet, 
when  pleading  for  sinners,  it  required  to  be  in  the 
language  of  intercession.  His  worthiness  is  that  in- 
deed on  account  of  which  we  are  treated  as  if  we  were 
worthy,  but  it  does  not  render  us  meritorious.  Thci 
righteousness  of  Christ  is  imputed  to  us;  but  it  is 
only  in  its  effects  that  it  is  transferred,  or  indeed 
transferable.     The  sum  is,  there  is  nothing  in  thoj 


BY  THE  REDEMPTION  OF  CHRIST.  269 

atonement  or  justifying  righteousness  of  Christ  that 
in  any  wise  supersedes  the  necessity  of  our  being 
freely  forgiven,  or  freely  blessed. 

Before  proceeding  to  another  branch  of  our  sub- 
ject, I  beg  leave  here  to  offer  a  few  reflections : 

1.  If  the  doctrine  here  stated  and  defended  be 
true,  there  is  in  the  nature  of  sin  something  much  more 
offensive  to  God  than  is  generally  supposed.  Is  it 
conceivable  that  God,  whose  nature  is  love,  would 
have  cursed  the  work  of  his  hands  for  a  matter  of 
small  account  ?  He  does  not  delight  in  cursing ;  he 
afflicts  not  willingly,  nor  grieves  the  children  of  men. 
Yet  every  transgressor  of  his  law  is  declared  to  be 
accursed.  All  the  curses  in  the  book  of  God  stand 
against  him :  in  his  basket,  and  in  his  store ;  in  the  city, 
and  in  the  field ;  in  his  going  out,  and  in  his  coming 
in;  and  in  all  that  he  setteth  his  hand  unto.  Nor  is 
it  confined  to  the  present  life,  but  includes  everlasting 
punishment.  Is  it  conceivable  that  God  would  have 
made  his  Son  a  sacrifice,  or  that  the  Lord  of  glory 
would  have  come  into  the  world  for  this  purpose,  if 
sin  had  not  been  an  evil  and  a  bitter  thing  ?  If  it 
were  no  more  than  men  in  general  conceive  it  to  be, 
assuredly  so  much  would  not  have  been  made  of  it. 
It  is  upon  light  thoughts  of  sin  that  a  disbelief  of 
justification  through  the  blood-shedding  of  Christ  is 
grafted ;  but  let  us  think  of  it  as  lightly  as  we  may,  if 
God  thinks  otherwise  we  shall  be  in  the  wrong,  for 
*'  the  judgment  of  God  is  according  to  truth." 

2.  If  this  doctrine  be  true,  the  danger  of  our  being 
lost  arises,  not  from  the  magnitude  of  our  sin,  be  it 
what  it  may,  but  from  a  self-righteous  rejection  of  the 


270  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

only  way  of  acceptance  with  God.  Let  the  nature  or 
degrees  of  sin  be  w^hat  they  may,  there  is  no  reason 
on  that  account  to  despair  of  salvation.  On  the  con- 
trary, there  is  the  utmost  encouragement  for  the  most 
guilty  and  unworthy  to  return  to  God  by  Jesus  Christ. 
Every  bar  in  the  way  of  acceptance  which  respected 
the  government  of  God  is  removed.  God  can  be  just, 
and  yet  the  justiiier  of  the  believer  in  Jesus.  More 
glory  redounds  to  him,  even  to  his  justice,  from  salva- 
tion, than  from  damnation.  Nor  is  there  any  cause  to 
doubt  the  willingness  of  God  to  show  mercy.  He  is, 
indeed,  unwilling  to  show  mercy  to  those  who  seek  it 
in  any  other  way  than  Christ,  or  rather,  is  determined 
they  shall  not  find  it;  but  every  one  that  seeketh  in 
his  name  findeth.  There  is  one  great  and  overwhelm- 
ing fact  that  answers  all  objections :  "  He  that  spared 
not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all,  how 
shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely  give  us  all  things  ?" 
The  pardon  of  sin  and  acceptance  with  God  are  bless- 
ings of  such  magnitude,  that  nothing  in  this  world  is 
to  be  compared  with  them ;  yet  these  are  less  than 
what  has  been  given  already,  for  the  argument  of  the 
apostle  is  from  the  greater  to  the  less.  If  we  be 
willing  to  receive  Christ,  and  with  him  all  things 
freely,  there  is  nothing  to  hinder  it.  If  the  door  of 
mercy  be  shut  upon  us,  it  is  a  self-righteous  spirit  that 
shuts  it.  Look  at  a  self-justifying  spirit  in  respect  of 
faults  committed  between  man  and  man.  Persons  of 
very  ordinary  capacity  in  other  things  will  here  be 
ingenious  to  admiration  in  framing  excuses.  They 
who  seem  scarcely  able  to  speak  on  other  subjects 
will  be  quite  eloquent  in  defending  themselves ;  dwell- 


BY  THE  EEDEMPTION  OF  CHRIST.  271 

ing  on  circumstances  that  make  in  their  favor,  keep- 
ing out  of  sight  what  makes  against  them,  alleging 
their  good  intentions,  even  in  things  which  in  them- 
selves cannot  be  justified ;  and  shunning,  as  one  would 
shun  the  road  to  death,  a  frank  acknowledgment  of 
their  sin,  and  a  humble  petition  for  mercy.  Of  the 
same  nature  is  a  self-righteous  spirit  in  respect  of  sin 
committed  against  God;  and  this  it  is  which  shuts 
the  door  of  mercy.  If  a  convict,  under  a  just  sentence 
of  death,  be  assured  from  authority,  that  if  he  confess 
his  guilt  and  petition  for  mercy,  he  will  be  forgiven ; 
and  if,  instead  of  making  such  confession  and  suppli- 
cation, he  either  pleads  not  guilty^  or  at  least  insists 
upon  his  comparative  innocence,  or  upon  some  cir- 
cumstance which  may  entitle  him  to  mercy,  should  we 
not  say  of  such  a  man.  He  shuts  the  door  of  mercy  on 
himself?  He  dies  not  on  account  of  the  magnitude  of 
his  crime,  but  of  his  pride  and  obstinacy.  His  origi- 
nal crime  is  still  indeed  the  formal  cause  of  his  pun- 
ishment, but  it  is  owing  to  his  self-justifying  spirit 
that  it  was  finally  laid  to  his  charge.  And  thus  it  is 
that  the  Scriptures  ascribe  the  loss  of  the  soul  to  un- 
belief :  "  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  hath  everlast- 
ing life ;  and  he  that  believeth  not  the  Son,  shall  not 
see  life,  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him"  "  Israel, 
which 'followed  after  the  law  of  righteousness,  hath 
not  attained  to  the  law  of  righteousness.  Wherefore? 
Because  they  sought  it  not  by  faith,  but  as  it  were 
by  the  works  of  the  law ;  for  they  stumbled  at  that 
stumbling-stone," 

It  is  remarkable,  that  in  drawing  a  conclusion 
from  the  doctrine  of  absolute  sovereignty,  in  which 


r 


272  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

the  apostle  had  taught  that  God  had  "  mercy  on  whom 
he  would  have  mercy,"  he  ascribes  the  failure  of  the 
Jews,  not  to  their  non-election,  but  to  their  unbelief. 

3.  Though  justification  be  of  "  grace,  through  the 
redemption  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus,"  yet  without  good 
works  we  can  give  no  proof  of  our  being  justified.  The 
whole  argument  of  the  apostle  in  the  sixth  chapter 
of  his  epistle  to  the  Romans,  teaches  that  believers 
cannot  live  in  sin,  being  dead  to  it,  and  alive  to  God. 
Those  who  are  in  Christ  Jesus,  to  whom  there  is  now 
no  condemnation,  are  said  to  "  walk  not  after  the  flesh, 
but  after  the  Spirit."  We  need  not  wish  for  stronger 
evidence  in  favor  of  the  doctrine  of  free  justification, 
than  that  which  is  furnished  by  the  objections  which 
are  answered  by  the  apostle.  No  other  notion  of  jus- 
tification than  that  which  is  of  grace,  through  Christ, 
would  admit  of  such  objections  as  he  encounters ;  no 
other  doctrine,  therefore,  can  justly  pretend  to  be 
apostolical. 

It  follows,  however,  that  while  we  contend  for  the 
doctrine,  it  concerns  us  so  to  walk  as  not  to  furnish 
its  adversaries  with  grounds  for  reproaching  it  as  un- 
friendly to  a  life  of  holiness.  The  law  of  God,  though 
not  the  medium  of  life,  is  nevertheless  the  rule  of  con- 
duct ;  and  though  we  are  justified  by  faith  alone,  yet 
good  works  are  necessary  to  prove  it  to  be  genuine. 
Thus  it  is  that  faith  is  shown  and  made  perfect  by 
works.  All  who  profess  to  believe  the  doctrine  do 
not  live  under  its  influence,  and  they  who  do  are  ex- 
posed to  other  influences.  Whatever  peace  of  mind, 
therefore,  it  may  be  adapted  to  produce,  it  furnishes 
no  ground  for  carnal  or  presumptuous  security. 


RiaHTEOUSNESS  OF  CHRIST.  273 


CHAPTER   XI. 

THE  IMPUTED  RiaHTEOUSNESS  OF  CHRIST  THE 
GROUND  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

Two  things  are  observable  in  the  solemn  renewal 
of  the  covenant  with  Isaac,  as  recorded  in  the  twenty- 
sixth  chapter  of  Genesis.  1.  The  good  things  prom- 
ised. The  sum  of  these  blessings  is,  the  land  of  Ca- 
naan, a  numerous  progeny,  and  what  is  the  greatest 
of  all,  the  Messiah  in  whom  the  nations  should  be 
blessed.  On  these  precious  promises  Isaac  is  to  live. 
God  provided  him  with  bread  in  the  day  of  famine ; 
but  he  lived  not  on  bread  only,  but  on  the  words 
which  proceeded  from  the  mouth  of  God.  It  was  in 
reference  to  such  words  as  these  that  Moses  said  unto 
Hobab,  "  We  are  journeying  to  the  place  of  which  the 
Lord  said,  I  will  give  it  you :  come  thou  with  us,  and 
we  will  do  thee  good ;  for  the  Lord  hath  spoken  good 
concerning  Israel."  2.  Their  being  given  for  Abra- 
ham's sake :  "  Because  that  Abraham  obeyed  my  voice, 
and  kept  my  charge,  my  commandments,  my  statutes, 
and  my  laws."  We  are  expressly  informed  in  what 
manner  this  patriarch  was  accepted  of  God,  namely, 
as  believing  on  Him  who  justifieth  the  ungodly  ;  and 
this  accounts  for  the  acceptance  of  his  works.  The 
most  spiritual  sacrifices,  being  offered  by  a  sinful  crea- 
ture, can  no  otherwise  be  acceptable  to  God  than  by 
12* 


274  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

Jesus  Christ.  But  a  sinner  being  accepted  as  believ- 
ing in  Jesus,  his  works  also  are  accepted  for  His 
sake,  and  become  rewardable.  It  was  in  this  way, 
and  not  of  works,  that  Abraham's  obedience  was 
honored  with  so  great  a  reward.  The  blessings  here 
promised  are  called  the  mercy  to  Abraham.  Mic.  7  :  20. 
Hence,  we  perceive  the  fallacy  of  an  objection  to  the 
New  Testament  doctrine  of  our  being  forgiven  and 
blessed  in  Christ's  name,  and  for  his  sake :  that  this  is 
no  more  than  was  true  of  Israel,  who  were  blessed 
and  often  forgiven  for  the  sake  of  Abraham.  "  Instead 
of  this  fact  making  against  the  doctrine  in  question," 
says  Thomas  Williams,  a  late  judicious  writer,  "it 
makes  for  it ;  for  it  is  clear  from  hence,  that  it  is  not 
accounted  an  improper  or  unsuitable  thing,  in  the 
divine  administration,  to  confer  favor  on  individuals, 
and  even  nations,  out  of  respect  to  the  piety  of  another 
to  whom  they  stood  related.  But  if  this  principle  be 
admitted,  the  salvation  of  sinners,  out  of  respect  to 
the  obedience  and  sufferings  of  Christ,  cannot  be  ob- 
jected to  as  unreasonable.  To  this  may  be  added, 
that  every  degree  of  divine  respect  to  the  obedience 
of  the  patriarchs  was  in  fact  no  other  than  respect  to 
the  obedience  of  Christ,  in  whom  they  believed,  and 
through  whom  their  obedience,  like  ours,  became  ac- 
ceptable. The  light  of  the  moon,  which  is  derived 
from  its  looking  as  it  were  on  the  face  of  the  sun,  is 
no  other  than  the  light  of  the  sun  itself  reflected.  But 
if  it  be  becoming  the  wisdom  of  God  to  reward  the 
righteousness  of  his  servants,  and  that  many  ages  after 
their  decease,  so  highly,  which  was  only  borrowed 
lustre,  much  more  may  he  reward  the  righteousness  of 


RiaHTEOUSNESS  OF  CHRIST.  275 

his  Son,  from  which  it  originated,  in  the  salvation  of 
those  that  believe  in  him." 

Another  general  illustration  may  be  drawn  from 
the  history  of  Joseph.  As  Potiphar  favors  the  Lord's 
servant,  the  Lord  will  not  be  behindhand  with  him, 
but  will  favor  him.  From  this  time  forward  every 
thing  is  blessed  and  prospered  for  "  Joseph's  sake." 
We  see  here  that  it  is  good  to  be  connected  with  them 
who  fear  God,  but  mucli  better  to  cast  in  our  lot  with 
them.  In  that  case  we  shall  not  only  gain  by  them 
for  this  life,  but  as  Moses  told  Hobab,  whatever  good 
thing  the  Lord  doeth  to  them  shall  be  done  to  us. 
Here  also  we  see  the  promise  to  Abraham  fulfilled  in 
his  posterity :  he  not  only  blesses  them,  but  "  makes 
them  a  blessing."  Such  was  Jacob  to  Laban;  such 
was  Joseph  to  Potiphar,  and  afterwards  to  all  Egypt ; 
and  such  has  Israel  been  to  the  world,  who  from  them 
derive  a  Saviour,  and  all  that  they  possess  of  true 
religion.  Even  the  casting  away  of  them  has  proved 
the  reconciling  of  the  world,  and  how  much  more 
shall  the  receiving  of  them  at  a  future  day  be  as  life 
from  the  dead.  It  might  also  be  the  design  of  God, 
by  this  as  well  as  other  of  his  proceedings,  to  set 
forth  under  a  figure  the  method  in  which  he  would 
bless  the  world;  namely,  "for  the  sake  of  another 
that  was  dear  unto  him."  Potiphar  was  not  blessed 
for  his  own  sake,  or  on  account  of  any  of  his  good 
deeds,  but  for  the  sake  of  Joseph.  Even  his  receiv- 
ing Joseph  into  favor  was  not  that  on  account  of 
which  he  was  blessed,  though  that  was  necessary  to 
it ;  it  was  Joseph  to  whom  the  eye  of  the  Lord  was 
directed:  he  looked  on  him,  and  blessed  Potiphar. 


276  DOCTHINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

So  that  for  the  sake  of  which  we  are  accepted  and 
saved  is  not  any  work  of  righteousness  which  we  have 
done,  nor  even  our  believing  in  Christ,  though  this 
is  necessary  to  it,  but  the  name  and  righteousness  of 
Jesus.  Thus,  in  both  cases  grace  is  displayed,  and 
boasting  excluded.  Finally,  it  was  a  proverb  in 
Israel,  that  "  when  it  goeth  well  with  the  righteous, 
the  city  rejoiceth."  This  was  singularly  exemplified 
in  the  prosperity  of  Joseph,  and  still  more  in  the 
exaltation  of  Christ.  From  the  day  that  he  was 
made  head  over  all  principalities  and  powers,  from 
that  time  forward  the  Lord  hath  blessed  the  world 
for  his  sake. 

To  impute,  as  has  been  remarked  in  the  treatise 
on  the  Atonement,  signifies,  in  general,  to  charge, 
reckon,  or  place  to  account,  according  to  the  diJfferent 
objects  to  which  it  is  applied. 

This  word,  like  many  others,  has  a  proper  and  a 
figurative  meaning. 

First,  it  is  applied  to  the  charging,  reckoning,  or 
placing  to  the  account  of  persons  and  things  that  which 

PROPERLY   BELONGS   TO   THEM.      This    of  COUrse    is    itS 

proper  meaning.  In  this  sense  the  word  is  used  in  the 
following  passages :  "  Eli  thought  that  she,"  Hannah, 
"  had  been  drunken."  Hanan  and  Shelemiah  the 
treasurers  were  "  counted  faithful."  "  Let  a  man  so  ac- 
count of  us  as  of  the  ministers  of  Christ,  and  stewards 
of  the  mysteries  of  God."  "  Let  such  an  one  think 
this,  that  such  as  we  are  in  word  by  letters  when  we 
are  absent,  such  will  we  be  also  in  deed  when  we  are 
present."     "  I  reckon  that  the  sufferings  of  this  present 


{ 


RiaHTEOUSNESS  OF  CHRIST.  277 

time  are  not  worthy  to  be  compared  with  the  glory 
which  shall  be  revealed  in  us."  1  Sam.  1  :  13 ;  Neh. 
13:13;  1  Cor.  4  : 1 ;  2  Cor.  10  :  11 ;  Rom.  8  :  18. 

Reckoning  or  accounting  here  is  no  other  than 
forming  an  estimate  of  persons  and  things  according 
to  what  they  are,  or  appear  to  be.  To  impute  sin  in  this 
sense,  is  to  charge  guilt  upon  the  guilty  in  a  judicial 
way,  with  a  view  to  his  being  punished  for  it.  Thus 
Shimei  besought  David  that  his  iniquity  might  riot  be 
imputed  to  him ;  thus  the  man  is  pronounced  blessed 
to  whom  the  Lord  imputeth  not  iniquity;  and  thus 
Paul  prayed  that  the  sin  of  those  who  deserted  him 
might  not  be  laid  to  their  charge.  2  Sam.  19  :  19 ; 
Psa.  32:2;  2  Tim.  4  :  16. 

In  this  sense,  the  term  is  ordinarily  used  in  com- 
mon life.  To  impute  treason  or  any  other  crime  to  a 
man,  is  the  same  thing  as  charging  him  with  having 
committed  it,  and  with  a  view  to  his  being  punished. 

Secondly,  it  is  applied  to  the  charging,  reckoning, 
or  placing  to  the  account  of  perso7is  and  things  that 

WHICH  DOES  NOT  PROPERLY  BELONG  TO  THEM,  AS  THOUGH 

IT  DID.  This  of  course  is  its  figurative  meaning.  In 
this  sense  the  word  is  used  in  the  following  passages : 
"  And  this  your  heave-offering  shall  be  reckoned  unto 
you  as  though  it  were  the  corn  of  the  threshing-floor, 
and  as  .the  fulness  of  the  wine-press."  "  Wherefore 
hidest  thou  thy  face,  and  holdest  me  for  thine  enemy?" 
"  If  the  uncircumcision  keep  the  righteousness  of  the 
law,  shall  not  his  uncircumcision  be  counted  for  cir- 
cumcision?" "If  he  hath  wronged  thee,  or  oweth 
thee  aught,  put  that  on  my  account.^'  Num.  18  :  27-30 ; 
Job  13  :  24 ;  Rom.  2  :  26  ;  Philemon  18. 


278  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

It  is  thus  I  understand  the  term,  when  applied  to 
justification.  "Abraham  believed  God,  and  it  was 
counted  unto  him  for  righteousness.  To  him  that 
worketh  not,  but  believeth  on  Him  that  justifieth  the 
ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted  unto  him  for  righteous- 
ness." Rom.  4  :  3, 5.  I  do  not  suppose  that "  faith,"  in 
these  passages,  means  the  righteousness  of  the  Messiah, 
for  it  is  expressly  called  "  believing."  It  means  be- 
lieving, however,  not  as  a  virtuous  exercise  of  the 
mind,  which  God  consented  to  accept  by  a  composi- 
tion, taking  a  part  for  the  whole;  but  as  having 
respect  to  the  promised  Messiah,  and  so  to  his  right- 
eousness, as  the  ground  of  acceptance.  Justification 
is  ascribed  to  faith  as  healing  frequently  is  in  the 
New  Testament,  not  as  that  which  imparted  the  ben- 
efit, but  that  which  afforded  occasion  to  the  great 
Physician  to  exercise  his  power  and  mercy. 

But  if  it  were  allowed  that  faith,  in  these  passages, 
means  the  object  believed  in,  still  this  was  not  Abra- 
ham's own  righteousness,  and  could  not  be  properly 
imputed  or  counted  by  Him  who  judges  of  things  as 
they  are,  as  being  so.  It  was  reckoned  to  him  as  if  it 
were  his,  and  the  effects  or  benefits  were  actually 
transferred  to  him;  but  this  was  all.  Abraham  did 
not  become  meritorious,  or  cease  to  be  unworthy. 
"  What  is  it  else  to  set  our  righteousness  in  the  obe- 
dience of  Christ,"  says  Calvin,  "but  to  affirm  that 
hereby  only  we  are  accounted  righteous,  because  the 
obedience  of  Christ  is  imputed  to  us  as  if  it  were  our 
own?" 

It  is  thus  also  that  I  understand  the  imputation  of 
sin  to  Christ.     He  was  made  sin  for  us  in  the  same 


RiaHTEOUSNESS  OF  CHRIST.  279 

sense  as  we  are  made  the  righteousrwss  of  God  in  him. 
He  was  accounted  in  the  divine  administration  as  if  he 
were,  or  had  been  the  sinner,  that  those  who  believe 
on  him  might  be  accounted  as  if  they  were,  or  had  been 
righteous. 

There  were  two  things  belonging  to  the  sin-offer- 
ing, under  the  Levitical  economy :  1.  The  imputation 
of  the  sins  of  the  people,  signified  by  the  priest's  lay- 
ing his  hands  on  the  head  of  the  animal,  and  confess- 
ing over  it  their  transgressions,  and  which  is  called 
"  putting  them  upon  it,"  Lev.  16  :  21 ;  that  is,  it  was 
counted  in  the  divine  administration  aS  if  it  had  been 
the  sinner,  and  the  only  sinner  of  the  nation.  2. 
Making  it  a  sacrifice,  or  "  killing  it  before  the  Lord 
for  an  atonement."  Lev.  1 : 4,  5.  Now  the  phrase 
made  sin,  in  2  Cor.  5  :  21,  appears  to  refer  to  the  first 
step  in  this  process,  in  order  to  the  last.  It  is  expres- 
sive of  what  was  preparatory  to  Christ's  suffering  of 
death,  rather  than  of  the  thing  itself;  just  as  our 
being  made  righteousness  expresses  what  was  prepara- 
tory to  God's  bestowing  upon  us  eternal  life. 

To  remove  some  difficulties  which  have  existed  on 
this  subject,  it  may  be  well  to  remind  the  reader  of 
two  or  three  great  principles. 

1.  There  is  an  important  difference  between  pun- 
ishment  and  suffering.  All  punishment  is  suffering, 
but  all  suffering  is  not  punishment.  If  a  soldier  have 
his  hand  cut  off  for  lifting  it  up  against  his  com- 
mander, it  is  punishment ;  but  if  it  be  shot  off  in  battle, 
it  is  mere  suffering. 

t 


280  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

2.  Though  an  innocent  creature  cannot  be  justly 
exposed  to  punishment,  yet  may  it  not  be  to  suffering? 
If  a  commander-in-chief  order  a  troop  of  his  best 
soldiers  to  scale  a  wall  in  the  mouth  of  danger,  they 
are  exposed  to  suffering;  nor  would  they  think  of 
replying,  as  in  case  of  his  ordering  them  to  receive 
each  a  hundred  lashes,  "  What  have  we  done  to  de- 
serve this  treatment?"  But  if  a  human  commander, 
for  the  accomplishment  of  a  wise,  just,  and  good 
object,  may  thus  expose  his  innocent  men  to  suffering, 
why  may  not  the  same  be  said  of  the  great  Master 
of  the  universe?  Have  we  not  been  too  much  in  the 
habit  of  concluding  that  suffering  necessarily  sup- 
poses the  party  to  have  sinned ;  and  so  because  we 
saw  the  human  race  suffer,  even  in  their  earliest  in- 
fancy, we  have  concluded  that  they  must  have  sinned 
in  the  person  of  their  grand  progenitor.  But  do  not 
the  brute  creation  also  suffer?  yet  they  have  not  sin- 
ned. Did  not  the  family  of  Achan  suffer  death,  as 
well  as  his  oxen,  and  his  asses,  and  his  sheep?  yet 
they  were  not  transgressors  in  "  the  accursed  thing," 
any  more  than  the  cattle.  Are  we  not  so  linked 
together  in  society  that  in  millions  of  examples  one 
suffers  the  consequence  of  another's  crime,  though  he 
partook  not  with  him  in  the  guilt?  It  may  be  true 
that  all  suffering  supposes  sin  smnewhere.  The  suffering 
of  the  brutes  may  be  a  part  of  the  punishment  of  the 
sin  of  man,  who  has  a  propriety  in  them ;  and  the  suf- 
fering of  Achan's  family  was  undoubtedly  a  part  of 
the  punishment  of  his  sin.  But  yet  it  does  not  neces- 
sarily suppose  sin  in  the  suffering  party. 

3.  May  not  the  same  event  be  a  punishment  to  tlie 


RiaHTEOUSNESS  OF  CHRIST.  281 

guilty  party,  and  to  the  innocent  mere  suiBfering?  The 
death  of  Achan's  sons  and  daughters,  and  oxen  and 
asses  and  sheep,  as  well  as  his  own  death,  was  to  him 
a  punishment,  but  to  them  mere  suffering.  And  sup- 
posing his  children  to  be  grown  up,  and  to  be  entirely 
under  the  influence  of  the  love  of  God  and  righteous- 
ness, they  must  have  hated  their  father's  crime,  and 
have  acquiesced  in  the  doom — not  on  the  principle  of 
being  participants  of  his  guilt,  but  of  such  a  measure 
being  a  just  punishment  to  him,  and  on  their  part 
adapted  to  the  general  good.  "  Let  our  lives,"  they 
would  say,  "  be  made  a  sacrifice  that  may  stand  as  a 
lasting  monument  to  Israel  never  more  to  touch  the 
accursed  thing."  .  In  such  a  case,  their  death,  though  a 
part  of  their  father's  punishment,  yet  to  them  would  be 
merely  an  afiliction — an  affliction  that  should,  through 
the  grace  of  God,  introduce  them  to  everlasting  life. 
Some  righteous  persons  might  perish  in  the  overthrow 
of  Judea  by  the  Romans,  who  had  all  along  sighed 
and  cried  for  the  abominations  of  the  land.  To  the 
nation  that  event  was  punishment,  but  to  them  it  might 
be  mere  affliction,  and  of  the  nature  of  a  blessing. 

There  are  other  instances  of  imputation  as  well  as 
that  of  Adam's  sin  to  his  posterity,  from  which  it  is 
possible  some  light  may  be  derived  to  this  important 
subject.  For  example,  our  sin  was  imputed  to  Christ, 
and  his  righteousness  is  imputed  to  us.  "He  was 
made  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin,  that  we  might  be 
made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him."  2  Cor.  5  :  21. 
And  as  both  these  instances  of  imputation  are  men- 
tioned together,  it  should  seem  that  they  both  proceed 
on  the  same  principle. 


282  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

In  what  sense  then  was  our  sin  imputed  to  Christ, 
or  how  was  he  "  made  sin  ?"  Surely  not  by  a  partici- 
pation, for  he  is  expressly  said,  in  the  same  passage,  to 
have  known  no  sin.  God  did  not  judge  him  to  be 
the  sinner,  for  his  judgments  are  according  to  truth. 
The  whole  seems  to  have  been,  that  for  wise  and 
gracious  ends  he  was  treated  as  though  he  had  been  the 
sinner,  and  the  greatest  sinner  in  the  world. 

Further,  in  what  sense  is  Christ's  righteousness 
imputed  to  us,  or  how  are  we  made  the  righteousness 
of  God  in  him  ?  Not  by  a  participation  of  it.  It  is 
not  true,  nor  will  it  ever  be  true,  that  the  holy  excel- j 
lence  of  Christ  is  so  ours  as  that  we  cease  to  be  un- 
worthy, and  are  deserving  of  eternal  life.  The  whole 
appears  to  be  the  same  as  in  the  former  instance,  God 
for  the  sake  of  the  obedience  of  his  Son  treats  us  as 
though  we  were  righteous,  worthy,  "or  meritorious. 

It  is  not  necessary  here  to  decide  whether  Christ's 
obedience  to  the  Father  was  necessary  bji  his  own 
account.  Whether  it  was  or  not  makes  nothing  as  to 
his  being  qualified  to  accomplish  our  salvation.  The 
imputation  of  righteousness,  as  the  Scriptures  repre- 
sent it,  appears  to  me  to  be  this:  God  for  wise  and 
holy  ends  blessed  one,  or  many,  in  reward  of  the  obedience 
of  another,  to  whom  they  are  related^  in  a  manner  as  though 
it  were  performed  by  themselves.  Thus,  if  the  first  Adam 
had  continued  obedient,  God  would  have  expressed 
his  approbation  of  his  conduct  by  confirming  not  only 
him,  but  his  posterity  after  him,  in  a  state  of  holiness 
and  happiness.  And  thus  the  obedience  unto  death 
yielded  by  the  second  Adam  is  represented  as  that 


RiaHTEOUSNESS  OF  CHRIST.  283 

with  which  God  is  so  well  pleased,  that  in  reward  of 
it,  he  not  only  exalted  him  far  above  all  principality 
and  power,  but  bestowed  full,  free,  and  eternal  salva- 
tion on  all  those  who  believe  in  him,  how  great  soever 
had  been  their  transgressions. 

But  it  may  be  said,  if  this  be  the  idea  which  the 
Scriptures  give  us  of  the  imputation  of  righteousness, 
and  it  be  applicable  to  the  first  as  well  as  the  sec- 
ond Adam,  whence  arises  the  necessity  of  the  divin- 
ity of  Christ,  in  order  that  his  righteousness  should 
be  imputed  to  us?  I  do  not  suppose  that  it  was 
necessary  to  imputation  itself,  but  rather  to  its  being 
available  to  the  justification  of  the  ungodly.  Imputed 
righteousness  may  take  place,  whether  it  be  that  of 
a  mere  man  or  of  one  who  is  both  God  and  man; 
but  the  righteousness  of  a  mere  creature  would  not 
avail  for  the  pardon  and  justification  of  rebellious 
men. 

There  is  an  important  difference  between  the  sup- 
posed imputation  of  the  righteousness  of  the  first 
Adam,  and  that  of  the  second.  God's  promising  to 
bless  the  sinless  posterity  of  the  former,  by  confirming 
them  in  a  state  of  holiness  and  happiness,  had  nothing 
in  it  which  could  clash  with  any  of  *his  perfections. 
He  might  thus  have  blessed  them  without  any  previous 
obedience  being  performed  on  their  behalf,  as  it  ap- 
pears that  he  actually  did  the  elect  angels.  His  prom- 
ising to  bless  the  children,  in  reward  of  the  obedience 
of  the  parent,  was,  that  while  he  expressed  his  love  to 
both,  he  might  also  express  his  love  of  righteousness. 
But  in  receiving  rebellious  sinners  to  favor,  there 
required  a  proviso  for  the  security  of  his  honor,  that 


284  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

he  might  appear  to  be  what  he  was,  jmt  as  well  as 
the  justifier.  "It  became  him,  in  bringing  many  sons 
to  glory,  to  make  the  Captain  of  their  salvation  per- 
fect through  sufferings."  The  glory  of  the  divine 
character  must  not  be  tarnished.  That  for  the  sake 
of  which  we  are  pardoned  and  justified,  therefore, 
be  it  what  it  may,  must  at  least  be  equivalent^  as  to 
its  influence  on  moral  government,  to  justice  having 
taken  its  natural  course.  Hence  arises  the  necessity 
of  the  deity  of  Christ  in  order  to  our  justification. 
Though  the  obedience  of  a  mere  creature  might  be 
the  medium  of  conveying  blessedness  to  his  sinless 
posterity,  yet  none  but  that  of  a  divine  person  could 
accomplish  the  salvation  of  sinners,  because  the  obe- 
dience of  a  mere  creature  could  not  have  done  such 
honor  to  the  divine  law  as  should  have  been  equal  to 
the  dishonor  which  it  had  received  from  us ;  nor  could 
the  sufferings  of  any  one  that  was  not  God  have  ex- 
pressed the  divine  displeasure  against  sin  in  so  strik- 
ing and  impressive  a  manner  as  if  every  transgressor 
had  received  his  just  recompense  of  reward.  But 
admitting  the  Redeemer  to  be  divine,  all  is  plain  and 
easy.  Hence,  that  which  is  peculiarly  ascribed  to  the 
deity  of  Christ  in  regard  of  his  sufferings,  is  their 
value ^  or  virtue.  "  By  himself  he  purged  our  sins." 
"  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his  Son  cleanseth  us  from 
all  sin."     Heb.  1 :  3  ;  1  John,  1 :  7. 

It  is  in  perfect  harmony  with  these  New  Testa- 
ment views,  that  we  find  the  prophet  Jeremiah  saying 
of  the  church  of  God,  "  This  is  the  name  wherewith 
she  shall  be  called,  The  Lord  our  righteousness."  Jer. 
33  :  16.     It  may  seem  too  much  for  the  church  of 


RiaHTEOUSNESS  OF  CHRIST  285 

Christ  to  bear  a  name  which  is  properly  applicable 
only  to  Christ  himself,  and  is  expressly  given  to  him 
in  chapter  23  : 6  of  the  same  prophecy.  Interpreters 
have  attempted  to  account  for  this  in  different  ways. 
Some  have  rendered  the  words,  "  And  this  is  the  name 
of  Him  that  shall  call  her,"  as  we  should  say,  by  his 
grace,  "  The  Lord  our  righteousness."  But  the  words 
clearly  import  an  appellation  given  to  the  church. 
Others  have  supposed  the  church  to  be  called  after 
the  name  of  Christ  on  account  of  her  intimate  union 
with  him,  as  a  wife  is  called  after  the  name  of  her 
husband.  But  this  is  a  modern  practice,  to  which, 
therefore,  there  can  be  no  allusion. 

The  name  in  the  Hebrew  is  Jeh-ovah-tsidkenu ;  and, 
if  I  am  not  mistaken,  the  use  of  several  other  of  these 
compound  terms  in  the  Old  Testament  will  determine 
the  meaning  of  the  passage  in  question.  When  Abra- 
ham was  about  to  offer  up  his  son,  in  the  very  moment 
of  extremity  his  hand  was  stayed,  and  a  lamb  was 
provided.  Abraham,  in  commemoration  of  this  signal 
interposition,  called  the  name  of  the  place  Jehovah- 
jireh,  the  Lord  will  see,  or  provide.  When  God  gave 
Israel  the  victory  over  Amalek,  Moses  built  an  altar, 
and  called  it  Jehovah-nissi,  the  Lord  my  banner.  When 
Gideon,  having  seen  an  angel  of  God,  was  apprehen- 
sive that  he  should  die,  and  the  Lord  comforted  him, 
saying,  "  Peace  be  unto  thee,  fear  not ;"  he  built  an 
altar,  and  called  it  Jehovah-shalom,  the  Lord  send 
peace.  Finally,  when  the  church  in  the  latter  day, 
under  the  form  of  a  city,  is  described  in  prophecy,  it 
is  said  that  its  name  shall  be  called  Jehovah-shammah, 
the  Lord  is  there.     Gen.  22  :  14  ;  Ex.  17  :  15  ;  Judg. 


286  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

6  :  24 ;  Ezek.  48  :  35.  Now  the  place  where  Abraham 
received  the  lamb  was  not  Jehovah^  nor  either  of  the 
altars  erected  by  Moses  and  Gideon.  They  were  only 
memorials  of  what  Jehovah  had  wrought.  Neither 
will  the  city  described  by  Ezekiel  be  Jehovah ;  but 
the  presence  of  Jehovah  shall  be  so  sensibly  and  man- 
ifestly in  it,  that  this  shall  be  its  name,  or  distinguish- 
ing character.  Thus  it  is  that  the  church,  under  the 
gospel  dispensation,  shall  be  called  Jehovah-tsidkenu, 
the  Lord  our  righteousness ;  not  because  she  is  Jeho- 
vah, but  because  her  justification,  by  the  righteousness 
of  Jehovah,  forms  a  kind  of  prominent  feature  in  her 
countenance.  This  leading  truth  is  inscribed  upon 
her  in  deep  and  legible  characters,  like  those  upon 
the  altars  of  Moses  and  Gideon.  She  is  even  a  stand- 
ing memorial  of  it  to  all  generations. 

Such,  I  think,  is  the  meaning  of  this  prophecy. 
Let  us  inquire  whether  it  accords  with  fact.  If  there 
be  a  leading  principle  which  distinguishes  the  gospel 
church  more  than  any  other,  it  may  be  expected  to  oc- 
cupy a  conspicuous  place  in  the  New  Testament.  It  is 
true,  the  Old  Testament  church  was  accepted  of  God 
through  the  same  medium  that  we  are ;  but  the  right- 
eousness of  JesiLs  not  being  actually  wrought,  it  does 
not  form  so  prominent  a  feature  in  that  dispensation. 
As  soon  as  our  Lord  entered  on  his  ministry  he  de- 
clared his  errand  to  be,  "to  seek  and  to  save  that 
which  was  lost."  The  self-righteous  Pharisees,  who 
were  whole  in  their  own  eyes,  were  most  of  them  left 
to  perish  in  their  own  deceivings,  while  publicans  and 
harlots  entered  into  the  kingdom  of  God  before  them. 
Every  encouragement  was  given  to  faith  in  the  Re- 


RiaHTEOUSNESS  OF  CHRIST.  287 

deemer.  In  answer  to  this  the  diseased  were  cured, 
and  the  guilty  forgiven,  whatever  had  been  their  for- 
mer character.  Those  who  embraced  the  Saviour  from 
among  the  sect  of  the  Pharisees,  and  who  were  right- 
eous in  their  own  eyes,  were  brought  to  an  open  renun- 
ciation of  every  thing  of  this  kind,  and  to  sue  for  mercy 
among  the  chief  of  sinners.  This  was  particularly 
the  case  of  Saul  of  Tarsus,  who  "counted  all  things  but 
loss,  that  he  might  win  Christ,  and  be  found  in  him; 
not  having  his  own  righteousness,  which  was  of  the 
law,  but  that  which  is  through  the  faith  of  Christ,  the 
righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith."   Phil.  3  :  8,  9. 

When  the  apostles,  commissioned  by  their  Lord, 
went  forth  preaching  the  gospel  to  every  creature, 
this  was  their  errand.  To  the  Jews  they  thus  ad- 
dressed themselves:  "Be  it  known  unto  you  there- 
fore, men  and  brethren,  that  through  this  man  is 
preached  unto  you  the  forgiveness  of  sins:  and  by 
him  all  that  believe  are  justified  from  all  things,  from 
which  ye  could  not  be  justified  by  the  law  of  Moses." 
Acts  13  :  38,  39.  As  to  the  G-entiles,  their  address  to 
them  was  in  substance  as  follows :  "  Now  then  we  are 
ambassadors  for  Christ,  as  though  God  did  beseech 
you  by  us :  we  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  recon- 
ciled to  God.  For  he  hath  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us, 
who  knew  no  sin,  that  we  might  be  made  the  right- 
eousness of  God  in  him."    2  Cor.  5  :  20,  21. 

In  almost  all  the  epistles,  we  find  this  great  truth 
written  in  legible  characters.  It  is  almost  the  sole 
object  of  that  to  the  Romans.  To  quote  all  the  evi- 
dence from  it,  were  to  quote  the  epistle  itself.  I  shall 
only  observe  that  there  arc  some  errors  referred  to  in 


288  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

that  epistle,  among  believers,  and  which  were  to  be 
objects  of  forbearance;  but  justification  by  faith  in 
the  righteousness  of  Christ,  to  the  renouncing  of  all 
dependence  on  the  works  of  the  law,  is  not  repre- 
sented as  a  question  that  divided  believers,  but  as  a 
principle  of  such  importance  as  to  distinguish  be- 
lievers from  unbelievers.  "  The  Gentiles,  which  fol- 
lowed not  after  righteousness,  have  attained  to  right- 
eousness, even  the  righteousness  which  is  of  faith.  But 
Israel,  which  followed  after  the  law  of  righteousness, 
hath  not  attained  to  the  law  of  righteousness.  Where- 
fore? Because  they  sought  it  not  by  faith,  but  as 
it  were  by  the  works  of  the  law ;  for  they  stumbled 
at  that  stumbling-stone."  "  Being  ignorant  of  God's 
righteousness,  and  going  about  to  establish  their  own 
righteousness,  they  have  not  submitted  themselves  unto 
the  righteousness  of  God."     Rom.  9  :  30-32 ;  10  :  3. 

The  disorders  of  the  Corinthians  were  greater 
than  those  of  any  other  of  the  primitive  churches. 
This,  with  some  who  profess  to  believe  this  important 
truth  in  the  present  day,  would  have  been  thought  a 
sufficient  reason  for  withholding  it  in  this  instance, 
lest  it  should  be  abused ;  but  Paul  did  not  withhold 
it.  "  Of  him,"  says  he,  "  are  ye  in  Christ  Jesus,  who 
of  God  is  made  unto  us  wisdom,  and  righteousness, 
and  sanctification,  and  redemption."  1  Cor.  1 :  30, 
31.  He  had  found  them  sunk  in  vice  and  profligacy. 
Speaking  of  fornicators,  idolaters,  adulterers,  effemi- 
nate, abusers  of  themselves  with  mankind,  thieves,  cov- 
etous, drunkards,  revilers,  extortioners,  "  And  such," 
says  he,  "  were  some  of  you ;  but  ye  are  washed,  but 
ye  are  sanctified,  but  ye  are  justified  in  the  name 


RIGHTEOUSNESS  OF  CHRIST.  289 

of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  tlie  Spirit  of  our  God." 
1  Cor.  6  :  9-11. 

The  epistle  to  the  Galatians,  like  that  to  the  Ro- 
mans, is  principally  composed  of  this  doctrine.  It  is 
here  considered  of  such  importance,  as  that  the  rejec- 
tion of  it  perverted  the  gospel  of  Christ.  Those 
teachers  who  set  themselves  against  it,  and  thereby 
troubled  the  churches,  the  apostle  wished  to  have 
"  cut  off"  from  among  them.  And  those  professors  of 
Christianity  who  received  another  system,  he  consid- 
ered as  "fallen  from  grace,"  or  as  having  deserted 
the  truth  of  the  gospel ;  and  told  them  plainly  that 
Christ  was  "  become  of  no  effect  to  them."  Gal.  1:7; 
5  : 4,  12. 

The  epistle  to  the  Ephesians,  the  object  of  which 
seems  to  be  to  endear  Christ,  and  the  knowledge  of 
him,  enumerates  the  spiritual  blessings  with  which 
God  hath  blessed  us  in  him,  and  among  these  is  his  • 
having  made  us  "accepted  in  the  Beloved."  And 
again,  "By  grace  ye  are  saved,  through  faith;  and 
that  not  of  yourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of  God.  Not  of 
works,  lest  any  man  should  boast." 

Similar  observations  might  be  made  on  almost  all 
the  remaining  epistles.  I  shall  content  myself  with 
only  referring  the  reader  to  the  following  passages : 
Phil.  3  :  7-9;  1  Tim.  1:9;  Tit.  3  :  4-7  ;  2  Pet.  1:1; 
1  John,  2:1;  Rev.  19  :  8 ;  and  offering  a  few  remarks 
on  the  apparent  inconsistency  of  Paul  and  James  on 
this  subject,  to  which  I  have  already  alluded.  If  the 
justification  on  which  these  sacred  writers  insist  were 
the  same,  their  doctrine  would  certainly  wear  every 
appearance  of  contradiction,  inasmuch  as  that  the  one 

Atonement.  1  o 


290  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

affirms  we  are  justified  "  by  faith  without  the  works 
of  the  law ;"  while  the  other  insists  that  a  raan  is  jus- 
tified "  by  works,  and  not  by  faith  only."  Yea,  and 
what  is  more,  each  of  them  appeals  to  the  case  of 
Abraham,  as  an  example  of  his  doctrine.  Rom.  4  : 1- 
6 ;  James  2  :  21-26.  But  if  the  justification  on  which 
they  severally  insist  be  difi'erent,  different  things  may 
be  affirmed  concerning  each,  without  any  contradic- 
tion. And  this  is  manifestly  the  case.  Paul  dis- 
courses on  the  justification  of  the  ungodly,  or  of  sin- 
ners being  accepted  of  God,  which  is  by  faith  in  the 
righteousness  of  Christ,  without  works ;  James,  on  the 
justification  of  the  godly,  or  of  a  saint  being  approved 
of  God,  and  which  is  by  works.  Abraham  is  said  to 
have  been  justified  by  faith,  when  he  first  believed  the 
promise,  prior  to  his  circumcision ;  but  by  works, 
many  years  after  it,  his  faith  was  made  manifest, 
when  he  offered  Isaac  his  son  upon  the  altar.  The 
one  therefore  relates  to  his  acceptance  with  God  as  a 
sinner,  the  other  to  his  being  approved  of  God  as  a 
saint.  Both  together  completed  his  character.  He 
believed,  and  it  "  was  accounted  to  him  for  righteous- 
ness ;"  he  obeyed,  and  was  "  called  the  friend  of  God.'' 
Upon  the  whole,  if  these  observations  be  just,  we 
are,  by  this  appellation  given  to  the  Christian  church, 
furnished  with  a  criterion  by  which  to  judge  of  it.  It 
is  composed  of  such  people  as,  renouncing  all  depend- 
ence upon  their  own  righteousness,  rely  only  upon 
the  righteousness  of  Christ  for  acceptance  with  God ; 
while  at  the  same  time  their  faith  is  not  a  dead,  in- 
operative opinion,  but  a  vital  principle,  productive  of 
good  works. 


RIGHTEOUSNESS  OF  CHRIST.  291 

We  also  see  the  justice  with  which  divines  have 
insisted  on  the  importance  of  this  great  article  of 
faith.  It  was  with  good  reason  that  Luther,  in  par- 
ticular, considered  it  as  a  kind  of  corner-stone  in  the 
Reformation.  Those  reformed  communities,  whether 
national  or  congregational,  which  have  relinquished 
this  principle  in  their  confessions  of  faith,  or  which, 
retaining  it  in  their  confessions,  yet  renounce  or  neg- 
lect it  in  their  ordinary  ministrations,  have  with  it 
lost  the  spirit  and  power  of  true  religion. 

Believers  in  Jesus  Christ  shall,  in  the  day  of  judg- 
ment, be  delivered  from  the  doom  that  lies  on  men  as 
the  violators  of  God's  law,  through  the  sacrifice  and 
second  coming  of  Christ.  Not  from  subjection  to  cor- 
ruption, nor  yet  from  appearing  before  God  in  judg- 
ment. Good  and  bad,  young  and  old,  healthy  and 
afiSicted,  wise  and  foolish,  all  must  die.  We  must 
shortly,  without  distinction,  part  with  all  our  earthly 
enjoyments,  friends,  property,  etc.,  and  all  our  relig- 
ious opportunities  will  soon  be  over.  Our  bodies  will 
be  reduced  to  dust,  and  our  souls  appear  before  God. 
All  this  we  must  pass  through,  whatever  we  are,  and 
notwithstanding  the  mediation  of  Christ ;  but  yet  we 
are  delivered  by  him  from  every  thing  in  death  or 
judgment  that  can  render  it  truly  terrible.  If  we  in- 
quire how^  the  gospel  provides  an  answer  : 

1.  It  is  through  his  having  died  for  us,  "  to  bear 
the  sin  of  many."  Observe,  it  is  sin  that  is  the  sting 
of  death ;  and  Christ,  by  his  death,  has  removed  this 
sting  away  in  behalf  of  all  who  believe  in  him :  as  the 
sacrifices  bore  the  sins  of  Israel,  and  bore  them  away, 


292  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

SO  Christ  by  Ms  death  "  hath  borne  our  griefs,  and 
carried  our  sorrows."  "He  was  wounded  for  our 
transgressions,  he  was  bruised  for  our  iniquities :  the 
chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon  him;  and  with 
his  stripes  we  are  healed."  He  bore  the  wrath  due 
to  our  sin.  The  shaft  of  vengeance  spent  itself  in 
his  heart.  Hence,  death  becomes  a  sleep,  sleeping  in 
Jesus — a  putting  off  this  tabernacle — a  departure. 
Hence,  Christians  have  met  death  with  pleasure, 
though  in  himself  the  king  of  terrors.  Death  was 
originally  under  the  power  of  Satan ;  but  Christ  by 
death  has  destroyed  that  power  of  Satan  over  death, 
and  death  now  becomes  Christ's  servant  and  theirs: 
"  Death  is  yours." 

2.  As  our  deliverance  from  the  sting  of  death  is 
through  Christ's  death,  so  our  deliverance  from  the 
terror  of  judgment  will  be  owing  to  Christ's  standing 
our  friend  in  that  day.  The  terror  of  judgment  is 
condemnation  for  sin,  but  Christ  will  be  our  advocate. 
Observe,  He  came  before  to  hear  sin,  but  now  vyithmt 
sin.  He  comes  to  salvation;  to  save  our  bodies  from 
the  grave,  and  body  and  soul  from  condemnation  ;  to 
give  the  final  blow.  "  Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  the 
charge  of  God's  elect  ?"  This  is  to  them,  and  them 
only,  that  look  for  him — that  love  his  appearing.  2 
Pet.  3  :  12  J  2  Tim.  4  :  8. 


FAITH  IN  CHRIST.  293 


CHAPTER    XII. 

FAITH  IN  CHRIST  THE  MEDIUM  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

The  grand  foundation  of  all  good  hope  is  tJie 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  GodJs  revealed  Mediator,  embraced  hy 
faith.  On  this  rock  the  people  of  God  in  all  ages 
have  built  their  hope,  whatever  other  foundations 
sinners  have  devised.  Of  old,  God  laid  this  in 
Zion.  This  was  the  subject  of  apostolic  ministra- 
tions; they  held  forth  none  other  than  Him  "whom 
God  had  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation  through  faith 
in  his  blood." 

That  the  mediation  of  Christ  is  the  primary  ground 
of  all  good  hope,  will  appear  evident  if  we  recollect — 
and  0,  let  u^  never  forget — the  hopeless  condition  in 
which  sin  involved  us.  By  our  breach  of  covenant 
with  God,  the  very  idea  of  future  good  for  us  was 
totally  annihilated.  Nothing  but  eternal  tribulation 
and  anguish,  as  the  reward  of  evil-doers,  was  now  to 
be  expected.  The  image  of  God  being  totally  effaced 
in  us,  his  favor  towards  us  was  absolutely  forfeited. 
Hence,  the  least  idea  of  hope  from  any  other  ground 
than  the  mediation  of  Christ,  is  not  only  a  declaration 
of  opposition  to  God's  way  of  salvation,  but  is  alto- 
gether a  wild  chimera.  By  the  state  of  the  fallen 
angels  we  may  learn  what  ground  is  left  for  hope 
where  no  mediation  is  provided ;  and  what  must  have 


294  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

been  our  state  had  we  been  left  in  their  condition? 
These,  void  of  all  hope  whatever,  "are  reserved  in 
everlasting  chains  under  darkness  unto  the  judgment 
of  the  great  day." 

We  are  not  unacquainted  with  the  many  false 
grounds  on  which  sinners  rest  their  hopes,  but  we  as 
well  know  who  has  said,  "  Other  foundation  can  no 
man  lay  than  that  which  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ." 
We  doubt  not,  brethren,  but  you  have  perceived  the 
vanity  of  a  multitude  of  those  things  which  buoy  up 
the  hopes  of  a  great  part  of  mankind.  Yourselves, 
it  may  be,  were  once  the  subjects  of  those  delusory 
dreams  whereof  we  trust  ye  are  now  ashamed.  It 
yields  us  great  pain  to  see  such  numbers  of  our  fellow- 
sinners  standing  on  such  slippery  places.  The  mere 
mercy  of  God,  to  the  exclusion  of  Christ's  mediation — 
not  being  so  bad  as  some  others — common  honesty 
and  civility  between  man  and  man — descent  from 
pious  parents — a  place  and  a  name  among  the  godly — 
suffering  much  affliction  in  this  life — Ifegal  convic- 
tions— superior  knowledge — superstitious  zeal — these 
are  some  of  the  dangerous  foundations  on  which  vast 
numbers  of  deluded  mortals  build  their  eternal  all! 
But  ye  have  not  so  learned  Christ.  Be  it  your  reso- 
lution, with  holy  Paul,  to  "  know  nothing "  in  this 
matter,  "  but  Christ  and  him  crucified." 

You  will  remember,  it  was  necessary  that  this 
glorious  Mediator  should  be  revealed  ere  he  could  be- 
come a  ground  .of  hope.  The  amazing  design  of  mercy 
was  first  laid  in  the  eternal  council ;  hence,  the  blood 
of  Christ  is  termed  the  blood  of  the  covenant,  through 
which  prisoners  in  the  pit  become  prisoners  of  hope ; 


FAITH  IN  CHRIST.  295 

but  whatever  design  of  mercy  might  exist  in  the  mind 
of  God,  that  could  not  become  a  ground  of  hope  till 
revealed  by  the  word  of  God.  Hence  the  promise  of 
the  woman's  Seed  afforded  the  first  and  only  dawn  of 
hope  to  a.  lost  world.  Hence  also  the  word  of  God  is 
frequently  represented  in  Scripture  as  that  whereon 
our  hope  resteth. 

Equally  necessary  is  it  that  the  mediation  of  Christ 
should  be  embraced  by  faith  We  trust  you  need  not 
be  told,  that  though  this  mediation  be  the  sole  meri- 
torious ground  of  our  hope,  yet  a  special  work  of  the 
Spirit  of  God  must  take  place  in  us,  before  we  can 
reasonably  put  in  our  claim  for  eternal  bliss.  The 
work  of  Christ  gives  to  the  elect  sinner  a  title  to  its 
possession ;  the  work  of  the  Spirit  gives  a  meetness 
for  its  enjoyment.  If  we  experience  the  latter,  we 
may  lay  claim  to  a  personal  interest  in  the  former. 
These  God  has  joined  together,  and  let  no  man  dare 
to  put  them  asunder.  Christ  must  be  in  us,  ere  he 
can  be  to  us  the  hope  of  glory.  The  hope  that  maketh 
not  ashamed  is  wrought  by  experience.  The  graces 
of  the  Spirit,  however,  become  a  ground  of  hope, 
not  through  any  inherent  merit,  but  in  virtue  of  the 
promise  of  God ;  or  rather,  they  are  the  evidence  of 
our  interest  in  the  promise.  In  numerous  passages 
of  holy  writ,  God  has  promised  eternal  life  to  all  such 
as  bear  certain  characters ;  namely,  to  those  who  are 
of  a  broken  and  contrite  spirit,  that  mourn  for  sin, 
believe  in  Christ,  love  him  in  sincerity,  deny  'them- 
selves, take  up  their  cross,  follow  him,  etc.  Hence 
all  who  through  grace  are  the  subjects  of  these  spirit- 
ual dispositions  enjoy  a  right,  founded  on  such  prom- 


296  DOCTHINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

ises,  to  hope  for  eternal  bliss;  and  this  is  another 
reason  why  the  word  of  God  is  frequently  represented 
in  Scripture  as  that  whereon  our  hope  resteth. 

There  are  some  doctrines  which  may  properly  be 
termed  fundamental  truths.  Whatever  difficulty  may 
attend  the  specification  of  those  doctrines,  it  will  not 
be  found  more  difficult  than  a  distinct  enumeration  of 
those  Christian  graces  which  are  essential  to  true  re- 
ligion. The  precise  degree  of  holiness  necessary  to 
salvation  is  not  more  easily  to  be  defined  than  the 
degree  of  truth  to  be  believed,  yet  no  one  can  doubt 
that  a  certain  degree  of  truth  and  holiness  is  essential 
to  Christianity. 

The  importance  of  a  principle  must  be  determined 
by  the  relation  it  bears  to  other  principles  and  duties 
of  religion.  Truth  is  a  system,  though  it  is  not  taught 
in  the  Scriptures  in  a  systematic  form.  The  gospel  is 
not  a  mass  of  discordant  sentiments,  but  possesses  a 
lovely  proportion,  a  beautiful  analogy.  Rom.  12  : 6. 
The  oracles  of  God  contain  their  "first  principles," 
Heb.  5:12,  which  suppose  a  scheme  or  system  of  prin- 
ciples. To  show  the  importance  of  the  doctrine  of  the 
resurrection,  the  apostle  proceeds  to  prove  that  it  in- 
volves in  it  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  and  that  this  in- 
volves in  it  the  truth  of  Christianity.  1  Cor.  15  :  13-15. 
There  is  no  part  of  the  works  of  God  but  bears  a  re- 
lation to  the  great  system.  The  infinitely  wise  God 
does  nothing  in  a  loose^  unconnected,  or  inharmonious 
form ;  connection  and  consistency  run  through  all  his 
works.  And  it  would  be  strange  if  redemption,  the 
greatest  of  all  his  works,  were  accomplished  without 


FAITH  IN  CHRIST.  297 

a  plan,  or  without  a  system.  But  if  the  work  itself 
form  a  complete  system,  just  conceptions  of  it  will  be 
the  same ;  otherwise  our  conceptions  must  be  at  vari- 
ance with  truth. 

It  is  from  this  consideration  that  a  denial  of  one 
divine  truth  generally  leads  on  to  the  denial  of  many 
others.  It  is  by  the  gospel  as  it  is  by  the  moral  law, 
"  to  offend  in  one  point  is  to  be  guilty  of  all."  You 
cannot  break  any  command  without  violating  the 
authority  of  the  Lawgiver;  and  this  being  once  vio- 
lated, there  are  no  bounds  where  to  stop.  "He  who 
said,  Do  not  commit  adultery,  said  also.  Do  not  kill. 
And  if  thou  commit  no  adultery,  yet  if  thou  kill,  thou 
art  a  transgressor  of  the  law."  The  same  principle 
which  leads  tjiee  to  despise  the  divine  authority  in  one 
instance,  would  lead  thee  to  do  the  same  in  all,  as 
occasion  might  offer.  It  is  much  the  same  in  refer- 
ence to  evangelical  truth ;  we  cannot  reject  one  part 
of  it,  especially  if  that  part  be  among  its  fundamental 
principles,  without  either  rejecting  or  becoming  less 
attached  to  the  rest. 

There  are  two  things  which  offer  themselves  to 
our  consideration  in  reference  to  the  deity  of  Christ  on 
whom  saving  faith  rests,  each  of  which,  while  it  tends 
to  confirm  the  truth  of  the  doctrine,  exhibits  its  impor- 
tance. The  one  is,  calling  on  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus;  the  other  is,  trusting  in  him  for  salvation. 
These  are  of  importance,  or  there  is  nothing  in  Christi- 
anity which  is  so ;  but  a  denial  of  the  deity  of  Christ 
would  render  them  both  improper,  if  not  impracticable. 

Calling  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  is  consid- 
ered, in  the  New  Testament,  as  of  equal  importance 

13# 


298  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

with  believing  in  him,  having  the  same  promise  of 
salvation  annexed  to  it.  "  Whosoever  shall  call  upon 
the  name  of  the  Lord,  shall  be  saved."  And  seeing  it 
is  asked,  "  How  shall  they  call  on  him  in  whom  they 
have  not  believed?"  Rom.  10  :  13, 14,  it  is  strongly 
intimated  that  all  who  truly  believe  in  Christ  do  call 
upon  him.  This  is  one  of  the  distinguishing  charac- 
teristics of  the  primitive  Christians.  Paul's  epistle 
to  the  Corinthians  was  addressed  to  them,  in  connec- 
tion with  "  all  who  in  every  place  call  upon  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  1  Cor.  1 :  2.  Now  as  a  re- 
jection of  the  divinity  of  Christ  renders  it  idolatry  to 
worship  him,  or  call  upon  his  name ;  so  it  must  involve 
a  rejection  of  that  by  which  primitive  Christians  were 
distinguished,  and  which  has  the  promise  of  salvation. 
And  where  these  things  are  rejected,  there  is  no  longer 
any  possibility  of  Christian  union ;  for  how  can  those 
who  consider  Christ  to  be  a  mere  man,  join  in  the 
worship  of  such  as  are  employed  in  calling  upon  his 
name,  and  ascribing  "  blessing,  and  honor,  and  glory, 
and  power,  unto  the  Lamb  for  ever?"  Rev.  5  :  13.  If 
there  were  no  objection  on  the  part  of  Trinitarians, 
there  ought  to  be  on  the  part  of  Unitarians,  to  ren- 
der their  conduct  consistent.  If  we  are  guilty  of  idol- 
atry, they  ought  to  come  out  from  among  us,  and  be 
separate,  as  the  Scriptures  command  Christians  to 
do  with  respect  to  idolaters.  2  Cor.  6  :  16,  17.  But 
if  they  are  so  indifferent  about  the  importance  of  re- 
ligious principle  as  not  to  hesitate  on  such  matters, 
there  is  no  reason  that  we  should  be  so ;  and  we  have 
no  warrant  to  acknowledge  those  as  fellow- Christians 
who  come  not  under  the  description  given  of  such  in 


FAITH  IN  CHRIST.  299 

the  New  Testament ;  that  is,  who  call  not  upon  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

Trusting  in  Christ  for  salvation  is  represented  in 
the  gospel  as  equivalent  and  of  equal  importance 
with  believing  in  him.  "  In  his  name  shall  the  Gen- 
tiles trust."  "  I  know  whom  I  have  believed,  and  am 
persuaded  he  is  able  to  keep  that  which  I  have  com- 
mitted unto  him  against  that  day."  Matt.  12  :  21 ;  2 
Tim.  1  :  12.  But  trusting  in  Christ  must  be  intimately 
connected  with  a  belief  in  his  proper  deity.  Without 
this,  all  committing  of  ourselves  to  him,  and  trusting 
in  his  ability  to  keep  that  which  we  have  committed 
to  him,  would  be  placing  confidence  in  an  arm  of  flesh ; 
and  would  bring  down  the  curse  upon  us  instead  of 
the  blessing.  God  has  expressly  appropriated  trust 
to  himself  alone,  and  prohibited  our  placing  it  in  a 
mere  creature.  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  Cursed  be  the 
man  that  trusteth  in  man,  and  maketh  flesh  his  arm, 
and  whose  heart  departeth  from  the  Lord."  "  Blessed 
is  the  man  that  trusteth  in  the  Lord,  and  whose  hope 
the  Lord  is."    Jer.  VI :  5,  7. 

Every  creature  is  entirely  dependent  on  the  Crea- 
tor, and  is  totally  incompetent  to  answer  the  charac- 
ter of  a  Saviour,  especially  with  respect  to  that  sal- 
vation which  mankind  need.  That  there  may  exist  a 
proper  foundation  for  trust,  the  character  of  a  Saviour 
must  unite  omnipresent  and  omnipotent  power,  to 
control  every  intelligent  creature  and  every  particle 
of  matter  in  the  universe,  and  render  every  thing  sub- 
servient to  the  great  purposes  of  salvation;  omnis- 
cient understanding,  to  know  perfectly,  and  at  all 
times,  their  hearts,  their  dangers,  and  their  wants; 


300  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

infinite  wisdom,  to  select  unerringly,  from  an  infinite 
number  of  supposable  schemes  for  the  accomplish- 
ment of  the  great  object,  that  which  is  best  both  with 
respect  to  the  end  and  the  infinitude  of  antecedent 
means ;  absolute  immutability,  to  prosecute  invariably 
the  same  designs;  and  infinite  love,  to  rise  above 
millions  of  provocations,  and  embrace  perpetually  the 
same  good. 

That  scheme,  therefore,  which  denies  Christ  to  be 
possessed  of  these  divine  prerogatives,  and  considers 
him  as  a  mere  dependent  creature,  leaves  no  ground 
for  its  abettors  to  trust  unreservedly  and  ultimately 
in  him  for  salvation ;  for,  according  to  their  principles, 
Christ  cannot  be  an  adequate  object  of  trust. 

Those  who  deny  the  divinity  of  Christ,  may  plead 
that  they  confide  in  the  truth  of  his  declarations ;  but 
they  might  also  confide  in  the  declarations  of  Peter 
or  Paul,  seeing  that  their  testimony  is  equally  true. 
But  to  commit  our  souls  into  their  hands  would  be 
unwarrantable  and  presumptuous,  and  it  would  be 
equally  so  to  commit  them  into  the  hands  of  Christ, 
if  he  were  a  mere  creature  like  them.  To  deny  his 
proper  divinity,  therefore,  is  to  destroy  the  foundation 
of  a  sinner's  hope,  and  to  make  void  the  distinctive 
evidence  of  primitive  Christianity:  calling  upon  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  committing  our  souls  into 
his  hands  for  salvation. 

What  is  believing  the  gospel,  but  heartily  admit- 
ting what  it  implies  and  what  it  declares  ?  What  but 
admitting  that  God  is  an  infinitely  amiable  Being,  and 
that  his  law  is  "  holy,  and  just,  and  good  ?"  for,  other- 


FAITH  IN  CHRIST.  301 

wise,  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  for  the  breach  of  it  would 
have  been  injustice  and  cruelty.  What  but  admitting 
that  sin  is  an  infinite  evil,  and  that  we  are  infinitely 
to  blame  for  breaking  God's  law  without  any  provo- 
cation ?  for  if  otherwise,  an  infinite  atonement  would 
not  have  been  required;  God  would  have  accepted 
some  other  sacrifice,  rather  than  have  given  up  his 
own  Son.  What  but  admitting  that  we  are  utterly 
depraved  and  lost,  lying  entirely  at  God's  discretion  ? 
If  he  save  us  alive,  we  live ;  or  if  we  have  our  portion 
with  devils,  with  whom  we  have  sided  against  him, 
he  and  his  throne  are  guiltless.  This  is  implied  in 
the  gospel  of  a  crucified  Saviour ;  for  if  we  had  not 
been  utterly  lost,  we  had  not  needed  a  Saviour,  at  least 
such  a  great  one.  In  fine,  what  is  it  but  admitting 
that  the  plan  of  redemption  is  a  plan  full  of  infinite 
glory,  the  device  of  infinite  wisdom,  the  expression  of 
infinite  love,  the  work  of  infinite  power,  and  the  dis- 
play of  infinite  glory,  justice,  and  faithfulness  ?  a  plan 
originating  in  the  heart  of  God,  effected  by  means  the 
most  astonishing,  and  productive  of  ends  the  most  glo- 
rious ;  no  less  glorious  than  the  -  eternal  honor  of  its 
Author,  the  triumph  of  truth  and  righteousness,  the 
confusion  of  Satan,  the  destruction  of  sin,  and  the  holi- 
ness and  happiness  of  a  number  of  lost  sinners  which 
no  man  can  number  ;  a  plan  this,  therefore,  "  worthy 
of  all  acceptation" — worthy  of  being  approved  and  ac- 
quiesced in  with  all  the  heart.  These,  I  think,  are  some 
of  the  principal  truths  which  the  gospel  exhibits,  and 
whosoever  really  believes  them  shall  be  saved. 

On  the  other  hand,  what  is  it  to  disbelieve  the 
gospel,  but  to  remain  under  a  persuasion  that  God  is 


302  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

not  such  an  infinitely  amiable  Being  as  to  be  worthy 
of  being  loved  with  all  the  heart  and  soul,  and  mind 
and  strength?  that  therefore  his  law  is  too  strict,  and 
if  it  must  extend  to  the  heart,  too  broad,  requiring 
more  than  ought  to  be  required,  especially  of  fallen 
creatures  ?  that  consequently  a  breach  of  it  is  not  so 
very  criminal  as  to  deserve  damnation  ?  that  if  God 
were  to  damn  us,  it  would  be  a  very  hard  and  cruel 
thing?  that  we  are  not  so  depraved  and  lost,  but  that 
if  God  were  but  to  deal  fairly  with  us  we  should  do 
very  well  without  a  Saviour,  or  at  least  without  such 
a  Saviour  and  such  a  salvation  as  is  altogether  of 
grace  ?  that  there  is  no  such  excellence  in  the  Saviour 
that  we  should  desire  him,  no  such  glory  in  his  way  of 
salvation  that  we  should  choose  it — so  choose  it,  how- 
ever, as  to  be  willing  to  have  our  pride  mortified,  and 
our  lusts  sacrificed  to  it  ?  in  fine,  that  there  is  no  need 
for  such  an  ado  about  the  concerns  of  our  souls,  no 
need  to  become  new  creatures,  to  be  at  war  with  all 
sin,  and  to  make  religion  our  daily  business  ?  This  I 
consider  to  be  what  the  Scriptures  mean  by  unbelief. 
Whether  my  ideas  of  the  gospel  are  right  or  wrong 
affects  not  the  present  question;  for  be  the  gospel 
what  it  may,  the  belief  of  it  has  attached  to  it  the 
promise  of  salvation,  and  the  disbelief  of  it  the  threat- 
ening of  damnation. 

It  is  of  infinite  importance  that  we  be  right  in  our 
first  outset,  and  that  we  take  up  our  rest  in  nothing 
short  of  Christ.  When  a  sinner  is  convinced  of  his 
dangerous  condition,  fears  and  terrors  will  commonly 
possess  him.  If,  under  these  impressions,  he  is  led  to 
relinquish  all  other  confidences,  and  to  flee  for  refuge 


FAITH  IN  CHRIST.  303 

to  the  hope  set  before  him,  all  is  well.  But  if,  having 
left  off  a  few  of  his  immoralities,  and  conformed  to 
the  outward  exercises  of  religion  without  betaking 
himself  wholly  to  Christ,  he  comforts  himself  that  now 
he  is  at  least  in  a  fair  way  to  eternal  life,  he  is  build- 
ing on  the  sand,  and  may  live  and  die  a  mere  self- 
righteous  Pharisee. 

Or  should  he  be  deprived  of  his  rest,  should  his 
fabric  be  demolished  by  the  blasts  of  new  temptations, 
and  his  mind  become  rather  appalled  with  fear,  than 
elated  with  self-confidence — if  by  this  he  is  brought  to 
give  up  his  self-righteous  hope,  and  come  to  Jesus  as 
a  sinner  ready  to  perish,  still  it  is  well.  "  Such  things 
worketh  God  oftentimes  with  man,  to  bring  back  his 
soul  from  the  pit."  But  this  is  not  always  the  issue. 
Longing  for  ease  to  his  troubled  spirit,  he  is  in  the 
most  imminent  danger  of  taking  up  his  rest  in  any 
thing  that  will  afford  him  a  present  relief ;  and  if  in 
such  a  state  of  mind  he  receive  an  impression  that 
God  has  forgiven  and  accepted  him,  or  read  a  book 
or  hear  a  sermon  favorable  to  such  a  mode  of  obtain- 
ing comfort,  he  will  very  probably  receive  it,  and 
become  inebriated  with  the  delicious  draught.  And 
now  he  thinks  he  has  discovered  the  light  of  life,  and 
feels  to  have  lost  his  burden. 

Let  us  pause  and  reflect  upon  this  deplorable  case. 
There  is  no  situation,  perhaps,  more  perilous  than  that 
of  an  awakened  sinner  prior  to  his  having  closed  with 
Christ.  He  is  walking  as  upon  enchanted  ground, 
and  is  in  the  utmost  danger  of  falling  asleep  in  one  or 
other  of  its  arbors.  Nor  is  there  any  case  in  which 
it  is  of  greater  importance  to  administer  right  coun- 


304  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

sel.  To  go  about  to  comfort  such  persons  on  the 
ground  of  their  present  distress,  telling  them,  as  some 
do,  that  the  Lord  first  wounds  and  then  heals,  and 
that  their  feeling  the  former  is  a  sign  that  in  due  time 
they  will  experience  the  latter,  is  to  be  aiding  and 
abetting  them  in  what  may  prove  their  eternal  ruin. 
The  mischief  in  these  instances  arises  from  a  false 
notion  of  the  case  of  the  awakened  sinner,  as  though 
he  were  really  willing  and  even  anxiously  desirous  of 
being  saved  in  God's  way,  if  it  would  but  please  God 
to  consent  that  he  might,  and  to  signify  that  consent 
by  revealing  it  to  him.  So  he  thinks  of  himself,  and 
BO  his  advisers  think  of  him.  But  the  truth  is,  he  is 
not  straitened  in  God,  but  in  himself.  The  fountain 
is  open;  the  Spirit  saith.  Come,  and  the  bride  saith. 
Come,  and  whosoever  will,  may  come,  and  partake  of 
the  water  of  life  freely.  God's  word  directs  him  to  the 
good  way,  and  counsels  him  to  walk  in  it,  promising 
that  in  so  doing  he  shall  find  rest  to  his  soul.  Nothing 
hinders  his  coming  but  a  secret  attachment  to  his  idols, 
which  on  coming  he  is  aware  must  be  relinquished. 
The  only  comfort  that  we  are  warranted  to  hold  up  to 
one  in  such  circumstances  is,  that  of  Jesus  Christ  hav- 
ing come  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,  and  of  his 
being  able  and  willing  to  save  all  them  who  come 
unto  God  by  him.  If  this  afford  no  consolation,  it  is 
at  our  peril  to  console  him  from  what  he  feels  in  him- 
self, which,  till  he  falls  as  a  sinner  ready  to  perish  at 
the  feet  of  Jesus,  is  nothing  better  than  the  impeni- 
tent distress  of  a  Cain,  a  Saul,  or  a  Judas.  It  may 
terminate  in  a  better  issue,  and  it  may  not.  Our 
business  is  to  point  to  the  gospel  refuge;  teaching, 


FAITH  IN  CHRIST.  305 

entreating,  and  warning  him  to  flee  thither  from  the 
wrath  to  come.   . 

If  once  a  sinner  derives  comfort  from  any  thing 
short  of  Christ,  he  from  thence  falls  asleep  in  secu- 
rity ;  and  it  is  well  if  he  awakes  in  this  world.  He 
has  obtained  a  kind  of  "rest  for  his  soul"  without 
coming  to  Christ  for  it,  which  must  needs  therefore 
be  delusive.  Stupefied  by  the  intoxicating  draught, 
he  dreams  of  being  a  favorite  of  heaven,  and.  if  any 
attempt  to  disturb  his  repose,  it  is  commonly  without 
effect.  "  They  have  smitten  me,"  saith  he,  "  and  I 
was  not  sick  ;  they  have  beaten  me,  and  I  felt  it  not ; 
when  shall  I  awake  ?  I  will  seek  it  yet  again." 

Believers,  on  the  other  hand,  are  described  as 
thinking  highly  of  Christ ;  reckoning  themselves  un- 
worthy to  "  unloose  the  latchet  of  his  shoes,"  or  that 
he  should  "  come  under  their  roof ;"  treating  his  gos- 
pel as  "  worthy  of  all  acceptation,"  and  "  counting  all 
things  but  loss,  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of 
him."  They  are  of  the  same  mind  with  the  blessed 
above,  who  sing  his  praise,  "  saying  with  a  loud  voice, 
Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain,  to  receive  power, 
and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength,  and  honor,  and 
glory,  and  blessing."  In  fine,  they  are  of  the  same 
mind  with  God  himself :  him  whom  God  has  chosen, 
they  choose ;  and  he  who  is  precious  in  his  sight,  is 
precious  in  theirs.  1  Pet.  2  : 4-7.  And  do  they  over- 
estimate his  character  ?  Is  he  not  worthy  of  all  the 
honor  they  ascribe  to  him,  of  all  the  affection  they 
exercise  towards  him ;  and  that  whether  he  actually 
receive  it  or  not  ?    If  all  the  angels  had  been  of  the 


306  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

mind  of  Satan,  and  all  the  saints  of  the  spirit  of  the 
unbelieving  Israelites  who  were  not  gathered,  yet 
would  he  have  been  "glorious  in  the  eyes  of  the 
Lord."  The  belief  or  unbelief  of  creatures  makes  no 
difference  as  to  his  worthiness,  or  their  obligation  to 
ascribe  it  to  him. 

In  drawing  this  chapter  to  a  close,  we  may  re- 
mark that  much  is  made  by  the  apostle  Paul,  in  the 
fourth  chapter  of  his  epistle  to  the  Romans,  of  a  pas- 
sage respecting  Abraham's  belief  of  God's  giving  him 
a  son :  "  And  he  believed  in  the  Lord  ;  and  He 
counted  it  to  him  for  righteousness."  Gen.  15  :  6. 
Much,  we  say,  is  made  of  this  passage  by  the  apostle, 
in  establishing  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith ; 
and  much  has  been  said  by  others,  as  to  the  meaning 
of  both  him  and  Moses.  One  set  of  expositors,  con- 
sidering it  evident  that  by  faith  is  here  meant  the  act 
of  believing,  contend  for  this  as  our  justifying  righteous- 
ness. Faith,  in  their  account,  seems  to  be  imputed  to 
us  for  righteousness  by  a  kind  of  gracious  compro- 
mise, in  which  God  accepts  of  an  imperfect,  instead  of 
a  perfect  obedience.  Another  set  of  expositors,  jeal- 
ous for  the  honor  of  free  grace,  and  of  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ,  contend  that  the  faith  of  Abraham  is 
here  to  be  taken  objectively,  for  the  righteousness  of 
Christ  believed  in.  To  me  it  appears  that  both  these 
expositions  are  forced.  To  establish  the  docti:ine  of 
justification  by  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  it  is  not 
necessary  to  maintain  that  the  faith  of  Abraham  means 
Christ  in  whom  he  believed.  Nor  can  this  be  main- 
tained; for  it  is  manifestly  the  same  thing,  in  the 


FAITH  IN  CHRIST.  307 

account  of  the  apostle  Paul,  as  believing,  Rom.  4  :  5, 
which  is  very  distinct  from  the  object  believed  in. 
The  truth  appears  to  be  this,  as  remarked  by  Calvin 
in  his  "  Institutes :"  It  is  faith,  or  believing,  that  is 
counted  for  righteousness;  not  however  as  a  right- 
eous act,  or  on  account  of  any  inherent  virtue  con- 
tained in  it,  but  in  respect  of  Christ,  on  whose  righteous- 
ness it  terminates. 

That  we  may  form  a  clear  idea  of  the  doctrine,  let 
the  following  particulars  be  considered. 

1.  Though  Abraham  believed  God  when  he  left 
Ur  of  the  Chaldees,  yet  his  faith  in  that  instance  is 
not  mentioned  in  connection  with  his  justification ;  nor 
does  the  apostle,  either  in  his  epistle  to  the  Romans, 
or  in  that  to  the  Galatians,  argue  that  doctrine  from 
it,  or  hold  it  up  as  an  example  of  justifying  faith. 
I  do  not  mean  to  suggest  that  Abraham  was  then  in 
an  unjustified  state ;  but  that  the  instance  of  his  faith 
which  was  thought  proper  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  be 
selected  as  the  model  for  believing  for  justification 
was  not  this,  nor  any  other  of  the  kind,  but  those 
only  in  which  there  was  an  immediate  respect  had  to 
the  person  of  the  Messiah.  The  examples  of  faith 
referred  to  in  both  these  epistles,  are  taken  from  his 
believing  the  promises  relative  to  his  seed;  in  which 
seed,  as  the  apostle  observes,  Christ  was  included. 
Rom.  4  :  11 ;  Gal.  3  :  16.  Though  Christians  may  be- 
lieve in  God  with  respect  to  the  common  concerns  of 
this  life,  and  such  faith  may  ascertain  their  being  in  a 
justified  state ;  yet  this  is  not,  strictly  speaking,  the 
faith  by  which  they  are  justified,  which  invariably  has 
respect  to  the  person  and  work  of  Christ.     Abraham  be- 


808  DOCTRINE   OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

lieved  in  God  as  promising  Christ ;  they  believe  in  him 
as  having  "  raised  him  from  the  dead."  "  By  him,  all 
that  believe,"  that  is,  in  him,  "are  justified  from  all 
things  from  which  they  could  not  be  justified  by  the 
law  of  Moses."  It  is  through  faith  in  his  blood  that 
they  obtain  remission  of  sins.  He  "is  just,  and  the 
justifier  of  him  that  believeth  in  Jesus." 

2.  This  distinction,  so  clearly  to-  be  seen  both  in 
the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  sufficiently  decides  in 
what  sense  faith  is  considered  as  justifying.  "What- 
ever other  properties  the  magnet  may  possess,  it  is 
as  pointing  invariably  to  the  north  that  it  guides  the 
mariner ;  so,  whatever  other  properties  faith  may  pos- 
sess, it  is  as  pointing  to  Christ,  and  bringing  us  into 
union  with  him,  that  it  justifies.  Eom.  8  : 1 ;  1  Cor. 
1  :  30 ;  Phil.  3:9.  It  is  not  that /or  the  sake  of  which 
we  are  accepted  of  God ;  for  if  it  were,  justification  by 
faith  could  not  be  opposed  to  justification  by  works  j 
nor  would  boasting  be  excluded ;  neither  would  there 
be  any  meaning  in  its  being  said  to  be  by  faith,  that 
it  might  be  of  grace :  but  believing  in  Christ,  we  are 
considered  by  the  Lawgiver  of  the  world  as  one  with 
him,  and  so  are  forgiven  and  accepted /or  his  sake. 
Hence  it  is,  that  to  be  justified  by  faith  is  the  same 
thing  as  to  be  justified  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  or  made 
righteous  by  his  obedience.  Rom.  5  :  9,  19.  Faith  is 
not  the  grace  wherein  we  stand,  but  that  by  which  we 
have  access  to  it.  Rom.  5:2.  Thus  it  is  that  the 
healing  of  various  maladies  is  ascribed  in  the  New 
Testament  to  faith :  not  that  the  virtue  which  caused 
the  cures  proceeded  from  this  as  its  proper  cause; 
but  this  was  a  necessary  concomitant  to  give  the  par- 


FAITH  IN  CHRIST.  309 

ties  access  to  the  power  and  grace  of  the  Saviour,  by 
which  only  they  were  healed. 

3.  The  phrase  "  counted  it  for  righteousness"  does 
not  mean  that  God  thought  it  to  be  what  it  was,  which 
would  have  been  merely  an  act  of  justice ;  but  his  gra- 
ciously reckoning  it  what  in  itself  it  was  not,  namely, 
a  ground  for  the  bestowment  of  covenant  blessings. 
Even  in  the  case  of  Phinehas,  of  whom  the  same  phrase 
is  used  in  reference  to  his  zeal  for  God,  it  has  this 
meaning  ;  for  one  single  act  of  zeal,  whatever  may  be 
said  of  it,  could  not  entitle  him  and  his  posterity  after 
him  to  the  honor  conferred  upon  them.  Psa.  106  :  30, 
31 ;  comp.  Num.  25  :  11-13.  And  with  respect  to  the 
present  case,  "  The  phrase,  as  the  apostle  uses  it,"  says 
President  Edwards,  "manifestly  imports  that  God,  of 
his  sovereign  grace,  is  pleased,  in  his  dealings  with 
the  sinner,  to  take  and  regard  that  which  indeed  is 
not  righteousness,  and  in  one  who  has  no  righteous- 
ness, so  that  the  consequence  shall  be  the  same  as  if 
he  had  righteousness,  and  which  may  be  from  the 
repsect  which  it  bears  to  something  which  is  indeed 
righteousness."  The  faith  of  Abraham,  though  of  a 
holy  nature,  yet  contained  nothing  in  itself  fit  for  a 
justifying  righteousness ;  all  the  adaptedness  which 
it  possessed  to  that  end  was  the  respect  which  it  had 
to  the  Messiah,  on  whom  it  terminated. 

From  these  remarks  we  may  be  able  to  solve  an 
apparent  difficulty  in  the  case  of  Cornelius.  He 
"feared  God,"  and  "his  alms  and  prayers  came  up  for 
a  memorial  before  God."  He  must  therefore  have 
been  at  that  time  in  a  state  of  salvation.  Yet  after 
this  he  was  directed  to  send  for  Peter,  who  should  tell 


310  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

Mm  words  by  which  he  and  all  his  house  should  be 
saved.  Acts  10  :  2,  4  ;  11 :  14.  What  Abraham  was  in 
respect  of  justification,  before  he  heard  and  believed 
what  was  promised  him  concerning  the  Messiah,  Cor- 
nelius was  in  respect  of  salvation  before  he  heard  and 
believed  the  words  by  which  he  was  to  be  saved. 
Both  were  the  subjects  of  faith  according  to  their  light. 
Abraham  believed  from  the  time  that  he  left  Ur  of  the 
Chaldees  ;  and  Cornelius  could  not  have  feared  God 
without  believing  in  him :  but  the  object  by  which  they 
were  justified  and  saved  was  not  from  the  first  so 
clearly  revealed  to  them  as  it  was  afterwards. 

4.  Though  faith  is  not  our  justifying  righteous- 
ness, yet  it  is  a  necessary  concomitant  and  means  of 
justification ;  and  being  the  grace  which  above  all 
others  honors  Christ,  it  is  that  which  above  all  others 
God  delights  to  honor.  Hence  it  is  that  justification 
is  ascribed  to  it,  rather  than  to  the  righteousness  of 
Christ  without  it.  Our  Saviour  might  have  said  to 
Bartimeus,  Go  thy  way;  I  have  made  thee  whole. 
This  would  have  been  truth,  but  not  the  whole  truth 
which  it  was  his  design  to  convey.  The  necessity  of 
faith  in  order  to  healing  would  not  have  appeared 
from  this  mode  of  speaking,  nor  had  any  honor  been 
done  or  encouragement  given  to  it ;  but  by  his  saying, 
"  Go  thy  way,  thy  faith  hath  made  thee  whole,"  each 
of  these  ideas  is  conveyed.  Christ  would  omit  men- 
tioning his  own  honor,  as  knowing  that  faith,  having 
an  immediate  respect  to  him,  amply  provided  for  it. 

Some  have  inferred  from  the  doctrine  of  justifica- 
tion by  faith  in  opposition  to  the  works  of  the  law, 


FAITH  IN  CHRIST.  311 

that  sinners  ought  not  to  be  exhorted  to  any  thing 
which  comprises  obedience  to  the  law,  either  in  heart 
or  life,  except  we  should  preach  the  law  to  them  for 
the  purpose  of  conviction ;  and  this,  lest  we  should  be 
found  directing  them  to  the  works  of  their  own  hands 
as  the  ground  of  acceptance  with  God.  From  the 
same  principle  it  has  been  concluded,  that  faith  itself 
cannot  include  any  holy  disposition  of  the  heart,  be- 
cause all  holy  disposition  contains  obedience  to  the 
law.  If  this  reasoning  be  just,  all  exhorting  of  sin- 
ners to  things  expressive  of  a  holy  exercise  of  heart, 
is  either  improper,  or  requires  to  be  understood  as 
merely  preaching  the  law  for  the  purpose  of  convic- 
tion ;  as  our  Saviour  directed  the  young  ruler  to  keep 
the  commandments,  if  he  would  enter  into  life.  Yet 
the  Scriptures  abound  with  such  exhortations.  Sinners 
are  exhorted  to  "  seek"  God,  to  "serve"  him  with  fear 
and  joy,  to  "  forsake  "  their  wicked  way  and  "  return  " 
to  him,  to  "  repent "  and  "  be  converted."  These  are 
manifestly  exercises  of  the  heart,  and  addressed  to 
the  unconverted.  Neither  are  they  to  be  understood 
as  the  requirements  of  a  covenant  of  works.  That 
covenant  neither  requires  repentance  nor  promises 
forgiveness.  But  sinners  are  directed  to  these  things 
under  a  promise  of  "  mercy  "  and  "  abundant  pardon." 
There  is  a  wide  difference  between  these  addresses 
and  the  address  of  our  Lord  to  the  young  ruler :  that 
to  which  Ae  was  directed  was  the  producing  of  a  right- 
eousness adequate  to  the  demands  of  the  law,  which 
was  impossible ;  and  our  Lord's  design  was  to  show 
its  impossibility,  and  thereby  to  convince  -him  of  the 
need  of  gospel  mercy;  but  that  to  which  the  above 


312  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

directions  point  is  not  to  any  natural  impossibility, 
but  to  the  very  way  of  mercy.  The  manner  in  which 
the  primitive  preachers  guarded  against  self-right- 
eousness was  very  different  from  this.  They  were  not 
afraid  of  exhorting  either  saints  or  sinners  to  holy 
exercises  of  heart,  nor  of  connecting  with  them  the 
promises  of  mercy..  But  though  they  exhibited  the 
promises  of  eternal  life  to  any  and  every  spiritual 
exercise,  yet  they  never  taught  that  it  was  on  account 
of  it,  but  of  mere  grace,  through  the  redemption  that 
is  in  Jesus  Christ.  The  ground  on  which  they  took 
their  stand  was,  "  Cursed  is  every  one  who  continueth 
not  in  all  things  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do 
them."  Hence,  they  inferred  the  impossibility  of  a 
sinner  being  justified  in  any  other  way  than  for  the 
sake  of  Him  who  was  "  made  a  curse  for  us ;"  and 
hence  it  clearly  follows,  that  whatever  holiness  any 
sinner  may  possess  before,  in,  or  after  believing,  it  is 
of  no  account  whatever  as  a  ground  of  acceptance 
with  God.  If  we  inculcate  this  doctrine,  we  need  not 
fear  exhorting  sinners  to  holy  exercises  of  heart,  nor 
holding  up  the  promises  of  mercy  to  all  who  thus 
return  to  God  by  Jesus  Christ 

God  not  only  accepts  all  who  believe  in  his  Son, 
for  his  sake,  but  their  services  also  become  acceptable 
and  rewardable  through  the  same  medium.  If  our 
works  while  unbelievers  had  any  thing  truly  good  in 
them,  which  they  have  not,  still,  it  were  impossible 
that  they  should  be  acceptable  to  God.  But  being 
"accepted  in  the  Beloved,"  our  works  are  accepted 
likewise.     "  The  Lord  had  respect  unto  Abel,  and  to 


FAITH  IN  CHRIST.  313 

his  offering."  "  He  worketh  in  us  that  which  is  well 
pleasing  in  his  sight,  through  Jesus  Christ."  "Ye 
are  a  holy  priesthood,  to  offer  up  spiritual  sacrifices, 
acceptable  to  God  by  Jesus  Christ." 

Being  "  accepted  in  the  Beloved,"  our  services 
become  impregnated,  as  it  were,  with  his  worthiness ; 
our  petitions  are  offered  up  with  the  "  much  incense" 
of  his  intercession ;  and  both  are  treated  in  a  sort  as 
though  they  were  his.  God,  in  blessing  and  rewarding 
Abraham's  posterity,  is  represented  as  blessing  and 
rewarding  him.  "  By  myself  have  I  sworn,  saith  the 
Lord,  for  because  thou  hast  done  this  thing,  and  hast 
not  withheld  thy  son,  thine  only  son,  that  in  blessing  I 
will  bless  thee,  and  thy  seed  shall  possess  the  gate  of 
his  enemies."  Accordingly,  though  it  be  said  of  Caleb, 
"  Because  he  followed  the  Lord  fully,  him  will  I  bring 
into  the  land  whereinto  he  went,  and  his  seed  shall 
possess  it;"  yet  it  was  no  less  a  fulfilment  of  the 
promise  to  Abraham,  than  of  that  to  him.  In  like 
manner,  in  approving  the  services  of  believers,  God 
approves  of  the  obedience  and  sacrifice  of  his  Son,  of 
which  they  are  the  fruits;  and  in  rewarding  them, 
continues  to  reward  him,  or  to  express  his  well-pleas- 
edness  in  his  mediation. 


14 


314  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

THE  HOLY  TENDENCY  OF  THE  SCRIPTURE  DOC- 
TRINE OF  A  SINNER'S  JUSTIFICATION. 

In  the  great  controversy  in  the  time  of  Elijah, 
recourse  was  had  to  an  expedient  by  which  the  ques- 
tion was  decided.  Each  party  built  an  altar,  cut  in 
pieces  a  bullock,  and  laid  the  victim  upon  the  wood, 
but  put  no  fire  under ;  and  the  God  that  should  answer 
by  fire  was  to  be  acknowledged  as  the  true  God. 
We  cannot  bring  our  controversies  to  such  a  criterion 
as  this :  we  may  bring  them  to  one,  however,  which, 
though  not  so  suddenly,  is  not  much  less  sensibly  evi- 
dent. The  tempers  and  lives  of  men  are  books  for 
common  people  to  read,  and  they  will  read  them,  even 
though  they  should  read  nothing  else.  They  are,  in- 
deed, warranted  by  the  Scriptures  themselves  to  judge 
of  the  nature  of  doctrines  by  their  holy  or  unholy  ten- 
dency. The  true  gospel  is  to  be  known  by  its  being 
a  "  doctrine  according  to  godliness ;"  teaching  those 
who  embrace  it  "to  deny  ungodliness  and  worldly 
lusts,  and  to  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly  in 
the  present  world."  Those,  on  the  other  hand,  "  who 
believe  not  the  truth,"  are  said  to  "  have  pleasure  in 
unrighteousness."  "  Profane  and  vain  babblings,"  as 
the  ministrations  of  false  teachers  are  called,  "  will 
increase  unto  more  ungodliness,"  and  their  word  "  will 


ITS  HOLY  TENDENCY.  315 

eat  as  doth  a  canker."  To  this  may  be  added,  that 
the  parties  themselves  engaged  in  this  controversy, 
have  virtually  acknowledged  the  justice  and  impor- 
tance of  the  above  criterion,  in  that  both  sides  have 
incidentally  endeavored  to  avail  themselves  of  it.  A 
criterion,  then,  by  which  the  common  people  will 
judge,  by  which  the  Scripture  authorizes  them  to 
judge,  and  by  which  both  sides,  in  effect,  agree  to  be 
judged,  cannot  but  be  worthy  of  particular  attention. 

True  evangelical  religion  is  represented  as  a  build- 
ing, the  foundation  of  which  is  laid  in  the  faith  of 
Christ:  "Building  up  yourselves  on  your  most  holy 
faith."  Jude  20.  Whether  it  relate  to  personal  or  to 
social  religion,  this  must  be  the  foundation  of  the  fabric, 
or  the  whole  will  fall.  Many  persons  are  awakened 
to  some  serious  concern  about  futurity,  and  excited  to 
inquire  what  they  must  do  to  be  saved ;  and  in  that 
state  of  mind  it  is  not  unusual  for  them  to  have 
recourse  to  reading  and  prayer  as  a  preparation  for 
death.  Many  preachers,  too,  will  think  it  sufficient 
to  direct  them  to  the  use  of  these  means.  But  if  the 
death  and  mediation  of  Christ  be  overlooked,  it  is  not 
reading  or  prayer,  or  any  other  religious  exercise, 
that  will  avail  us.  Why  did  John  the  Baptist,  Christ, 
and  his  apostles,  lay  the  foundation  of  the  gospel 
kingdom  by  calling  on  sinners  to  "  repent  and  believe 
the  gospel?"  Was  it  not  because  all  other  duties, 
prior  to  these,  were  of  no  account  ?  When  some  who 
followed  Christ  for  loaves,  inquired  what  they  must 
do  to  work  the  works  of  God,  his  answer  was,  "  This 
is  the  work  of  God,  that  ye  believe  on  Hira  whom  he 


316  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

hath  sent/'  plainly  intimating  that  no  work  prior  to 
this  could  be  pleasing  to  God.  The  Scriptures  direct 
men  to  pray,  but  it  is  in  faith.  To  the  question, 
"  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?"  there  is  but  one  an- 
swer, "Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou 
shalt  be  saved."  Christ  is  the  door ;  by  him  if  any 
man  enter  in,  he  shall  be  saved.  To  direct  inquirers 
to  any  thing  short  of  this,  is  to  direct  them  to  that 
which,  if  complied  with,  will  leave  them  short  of  sal- 
vation. This  the  Scriptures  never  do :  there  is  not  a 
direction  in  the  oracles  of  God,  but,  if  truly  followed, 
will  lead  to  everlasting  life. 

One  lays  the  foundation  of  his  religion  in  what  he 
calls  reason,  but  which  in  fact  is  his  own  reasoning. 
The  same  inspired  writer  who  in  one  sentence  com- 
mends understanding,  in  the  next  warns  us  against 
leaning  to  our  own  understanding.  To  strengthen 
ourselves  and  one  another  in  this  way,  is  to  build  up 
ourselves  on  our  own  conceits.  Another  founds  his 
religion  on  his  good  deeds.  Good  deeds  undoubtedly 
form  a  part  of  the  building,  but  the  foundation  is  not 
the  place  for  them.  They  are  not  the  cause,  but  the 
effects  of  faith.  They  prepare  us  for  heaven  as  meet- 
ening  us  for  it,  but  not  as  rendering  us  deserving  of 
it.  A  third  builds  his  religion  on  impressions.  It  is 
not  from  the  death  of  Christ  for  sinners,  or  any  other 
gospel  truth,  that  he  derives  his  comfort,  but  from  an 
impulse  on  his  mind  that  his  sins  are  forgiven,  and 
that  he  is  a  favorite  of  God,  which  is  certainly  no- 
where revealed  in  the  Scriptures.  We  may  build 
ourselves  up  in  this  way,  but  the  building  will  fall. 
A  fourth  founds  his  religion  on  faith,  but  it  is  not  a 


ITS  HOLY  TENDENCY.  317 

holy  faith,  either  in  respect  of  its  nature  or  its  effects. 
It  is  dead,  being  alone,  or  without  fruit.  The  faith 
^n  which  the  first  Christians  built  up  themselves,  in- 
cluded repentance  for  sin.  As  when  forgiveness  is 
promised  to  repentance,  faith  in  Christ  is  supposed ;  so 
when  justification  is  promised  to  believing,  repentance 
is  supposed.  However  distinct  they  are  as  to  their 
nature  and  objects,  they  have  no  separate  existence. 
Hence,  in  the  preaching  of  Christ  and  the  apostles, 
they  are  united ;  and  hence  the  faith  of  Christ,  sup- 
posing a  renunciation  of  every  thing  opposed  to  it, 
and  including  a  cordial  acquiescence  in  the  gospel 
way  of  salvation,  through  his  death,  is  most  holy. 

In  the  true  Christian  we  may  see  the  holy  efficacy^  and 
by  consequence  the  truth  of  the  Christian  religion.  It 
was  long  since  asked,  "Who  is  he  that  overcometh 
the  world,  but  he  who  belie veth  that  Jesus  is  the 
Son  of  God?"  This  question  contained  a  challenge 
to  men  of  all  religions  who  were  then  upon  the  earth. 
Idolatry  had  a  great  diversity  of  species,  every  nation 
worshipping  its  own  gods,  and  in  modes  peculiar  to 
itself:  philosophers  also  were  divided  into  numerous 
sects,  each  flattering  itself  that  it  had  found  the  truth ; 
even  the  Jews  had  their  divisions,  their  Pharisees, 
Sadducees,  and  Essenes :  but  great  as  many  of  them 
were  in  deeds  of  divers  kinds,  an  apostle  could  look 
them  all  in  the  face,  and  ask,  "  Who  is  he  that  over- 
cometh the  world?"  The  same  question  might  be 
safely  asked  in  every  succeeding  age.  The  various 
kinds  of  religion  that  still  prevail,  the  Pagan,  Mahom- 
edan,  Jewish,  Papal,  or  Protestant,  may  form  the  ex- 


318  DOCTRINE   OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

terior  of  man  according  to  their  respective  models ; 
but  where  js  the  man  among  them,  save  the  true 
believer  in  Jesus,  that  overcometh  the  world?  Men 
may  cease  from  particular  evils,  and  assume  a  very 
different  character ;  may  lay  aside  their  drunkenness, 
blasphemies,  or  debaucheries,  and  take  up  with  a  kind 
of  monkish  austerity,  and  yet  all  may  amount  to  noth- 
ing more  than  an  exchange  of  vices.  The  lusts  of  the 
flesh  will  on  many  occasions  give  place  to  those  of  the 
mind;  but  to  overcome  the  world  is  another  thing. 
By  embracing  the  doctrine  of  the  cross,  to  feel  not 
merely  a  dread  of  the  consequences  of  sin,  but  a  holy 
abhorrence  of  its  nature ;  and  by  conversing  with  in- 
visible realities,  to  become  regardless  of  the  best  and 
fearless  of  the  worst  that  this  world  has  to  dispense, 
this  is  the  effect  of  genuine  Christianity,  and  this  is  a 
standing  proof  of  its  divine  origin.  Let  the  most  in- 
veterate enemy  of  revelation  have  witnessed  the  dis- 
interested benevolence  of  a  Paul,  a  Peter,  or  a  John, 
and  whether  he  would  own  it  or  not,  his  conscience 
must  have  borne  testimony  that  this  is  true  religion. 
It  is  utterly  inconsistent  with  the  nature  of  moral 
government,  and  of  the  great  designs  of  mercy  as 
revealed  in  the  gospel,  that  believers  should  be  freed 
from  obligation  to  love  God  with  all  their  hearts,  and 
their  neighbors  as  themselves.  The  requirement  of 
love  is  founded  in  the  nature  of  the  relation  between 
God  and  a  rational  creature ;  and  cannot  be  made 
void  so  long  as  the  latter  exists,  unless  the  former 
were  to  deny  himself.  The  relation  between  a  father 
and  son  is  such  that  an  obligation  to  love  is  indis- 
pensable ;  and  should  the  son,  on  having  offended  his 


ITS  HOLY  TENDENCY.  319 

father,  be  forgiven  and  restored,  like  the  prodigal,  to 
his  family,  to  pretend  to  be  free  on  this  account  were 
an  outrage  on  decency.  Every  one  must  feel  that  his 
obligations,  in  such  a  case,  are  increased,  rather  than 
diminished. 

The  subject  may  be  enforced  by  weighty  consider- 
ations. Such  as :  to  pursue  this  end  is,  fit  and  right. 
God's  glory  is  worthy  of  being  our  ultimate  end. 
Rev.  5  :  13, 14.  He  is  worthy  in  himself,  and  for  what 
he  has  done  for  us.  It  is  the  only  return,  too,  that 
he  asks  for  all  his  love  and  mercy :  "  Ye  are  bought 
with  a  price,  therefore  glorify  God,"  1  Cor.  6  :  20 ;  and 
again,  "  He  died  for  all,  that  they  which  live  should 
not  henceforth  live  unto  themselves,  but  unto  Him 
which  died  for  them."  2  Cor.  5  :  15.  To  pursue  this 
end  is  to  pursue  the  general  good*  and  to  promote 
universal  happiness.  Wherefore  is  the  world  so  full 
of  misery?  Because  all  seek  their  own;  therefore  all 
are  at  variance.  If  all  loved  God  supremely,  they 
would  love  each  other  for  his  sake,  and  be  happy.  To 
pursue  this  end  is  to  pursue  our  own  good,  which  is 
not  only  included  in  the  general  good,  but  hath  a 
special  promise :  "  Them  that  honor  me  I  will  honor." 
To  pursue  this  end  is  the  most  effectual  preservative 
from  the  abuse  of  mercies.  If  we  eat  and  drink  that 
we  may  be  strengthened  to  serve  the  Lord,  and  to  do 
good  in  our  generation,  such  an  object  in  view  would 
be  sure  to  preserve  us  from  intemperance,  immodera- 
tion, and  excess.  And  if  we  keep  this  end  in  view,  we 
shall  not  be  hindered  in  religion,  but  rather  assisted 
by  the  necessary  cares  and  avocations  of  life.    Let  us 


320  DOCTHINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

but  serve  the  Lord  in  them,  and  we  shall  never  be 
out  of  the  path  of  duty.  Worldly  business,  and  stat- 
ed and  occasional  devotions,  instead  of  clashing  with 
each  other,  would  then  form  one  beautiful  whole. 
Why  is  it  that  prayer  and  other  religious  duties  are 
driven  into  a  corner  by  worldly  business  ?  Because 
in  that  business  we  lose  sight  of  God,  and  serve  our- 
selves. It  is  the  service  of  God  and  mammon,  and 
not  the  different  parts  of  G-od's  service,  which  are  at 
variance. 

Some  persons  will  object,  "  How  can  we  be  always 
thinking  of  God  in  our  worldly  pursuits?"  It  is  not 
necessary,  in  glorifying  God,  that  God  should  always 
be  the  direct  and  immediate  object  of  your  thoughts ;  but 
if  you  LOVE  him  supremely,  this  love  will  have  an  influ- 
ence, whether  you  perceive  it  or  not,  upon  the  whole 
tenor  of  your  life.  A  virtuous  woman  who  loves  her 
husband  may  not  always  be  directly  thinking  of  pleas- 
ing and  honoring  him ;  but  such  love,  like  the  blood 
in  the  human  body,  which  runs  through  every  vein, 
will  influence  every  action.  If  she  reflect  on  the 
operations  of  her  mind,  she  will  perceive  that  not  only 
in  her  daily  business  she  has  his  accommodation  in 
view,  but  even  in  all  the  little  ornaments  of  dress,  and 
in  all  the  turns  of  conversation  and  deportment,  her 
habitual  study  and  delight  is  to  render  herself  agree- 
able to  him.  Nothing  but  love,  supreme  love,  is  nec- 
essary, that  whether  we  eat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever 
we  do,  we  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God. 

If  we  have  rejected  the  atoneTnent  of  Christ,  it  is 
not  difficult  to  prove  that  we  reject  the  doctrine  of 


ITS  HOLY  TENDENCY.  321 

the  cross,  which  is  the  grand  doctrine  that  God  hath 
blessed,  and  will  bless,  to  the  salvation  of  men.  If 
we  reject  the  deity  of  Christ,  besides  relinquishing 
the  worship  of  him,  which  was  manifestly  a  primitive 
practice,  and  withdrawing  all  well-founded  trust  in 
him  for  the  salvation  of  our  souls,  we  reject  the  only 
ground  upon  which  an  atonement  can  be  supported, 
and  by  resting  all  its  efficacy  upon  divine  appoint- 
ment, render  it  possible  that  the  blood  of  bulls  or  of 
goats,  or  the  ashes  of  a  heifer,  might  have  taken  away 
sin.  Heb.  10  : 4.  If  we  reject  the  doctrine  of  justifi- 
cation by  faith  in  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  we  are 
on  a  footing  with  those  Jews  who  "  attained  not  to 
the  law  of  righteousness,  because  they  sought  it  not 
by  faith,  but  as  it  were  by  the  works  of  the  law ;  for 
they  stumbled  at  that  stumbling-stone."  And  if  we 
reject  the  doctrine  of  regeneration  and  sanctification 
by  the  Holy  Spirit,  we  need  not  expect  him  to  set  his 
seal  to  our  labors. 

What  are  the  conceits  of  the  self-righteous  by 
which  they  buoy  up  their  minds  with  vain  hopes,  and 
refuse  to  submit  to  the  righteousness  of  God?  Of  the 
two  first-born  sons  of  man  who  presented  their  offer- 
ings to  God,  one  came  without  a  sacrifice;  and  the 
greater  part  of  professed  worshippers  in  all  ages,  it 
is  to  be  feared,  have  followed  his  example.  It. is 
deeply  rooted  in  every  human  heart,  that  if  the  dis- 
pleasure of  God  be  appeased  towards  us,  or  if  he 
show  us  any  favor,  it  must  be  on  account  of  some 
worthiness  found  in  us.  To  go  to  God  as  utterly  un- 
worthy, pleading  the  worthiness  of  a  Mediator,  and 
14* 


322  DOCTRINE   OF  JUSTIFICATION.. 

building  all  our  hope  of  acceptance  on  his  obedience 
and  sacrifice,  is  a  hard  lesson  for  a  proud  spirit.  Yet, 
till  we  learn  this,  we  in  effect  learn  nothing ;  nor  will 
God  accept  our  offering,  any  more  than  he  accepted 
the  offering  of  Cain. 

It  is  difficult  to  conceive  whence  the  notion  of  5m- 
kss  perfection  in  the  present  life,  and  all  the  spiritual 
pride  that  attaches  to  it,  could  arise,  unless  it  was 
from  ignorance  of  the  glorious  holiness  of  God,  the 
spirituality  of  his  law,  and  the  corruption  of  the 
human  heart.  A  proper  sense  of  these  truths  would 
impel  the  best  man  upon  earth  to  exclaim  with  the 
prophet,  "  Woe  is  me !  I  am  a  man  of  unclean  lips." 

And  how  is  it  that  an  obligation  to  love  the  Lord 
supremely,  and  with  all  our  hearts,  should  be  so  hard 
to  be  understood?  Yet  few  think  themselves  obliged 
to  love  him.  "  We  are  sinners,"  say  they,  "  and  can- 
not love  him!  and  if  we  now  and  then  yield  him  a 
little  formal  service,  though  it  be  by  putting  a  force 
upon  our  inclinations,  we  imagine  we  do  great  things, 
nearly  as  much  as  ought  to  be  required  of  us,  and 
much  more  than  many  do  whom  we  could  name." 

Thus  the  sin  of  not  loving  God  from  our  heart, 
and  our  neighbor  as  ourselves,  is  made  nothing  of  in 
the  world,  though  it  be  the  fountain  and  sum  of  evil. 
"iThe  conscience  itself  is  so  defiled,  that  if  we  manifest 
but  a  decent  behavior  in  our  relations  among  men,  it 
very  nearly  acquits  us.  We  claim  a  kind  of  exemp- 
tion from  every  thing  else.  And  whether  it  be  by 
the  dint  of  repetition  with  which  this  claim  has  been 
preferred,  or  whether  those  who  ought  to  resist  it  be 


ITS  HOLY  TENDENCY.  323 

themselves  too  much  inclined  to  favor  it,  so  it  is,  that 

too  many  ministers  give  it  up,  contenting  themselves 
with  exhorting  their  hearers  to  things  with  which 
they  can  comply  consistently  with  reigning  enmity  to 
God  in  their  hearts — to  things  which  contain  nothing 
truly  good  in  them,  and  which  a  sinner  may  therefore 
perform  through  his  whole  life,  and  be  shut  out  of 
heaven  at  last  as  "  a  worker  of  iniquity."  There  is 
not  a  precept  in  the  Bible  that  can  be  obeyed  with- 
out love,  or  with  which  a  man  may  comply  and  be 
lost  for  ever:  to  exhort  sinners,  therefore,  to  things 
which  merely  qualify  them  for  this  world,  or  even  to 
reading,  hearing,  or  praying  in  such  a  manner  as  can- 
not please  God,  is  deviating  from  the  Scriptures,  and 
yielding  up  the  first  principles  of  moral  government 
to  the  inclinations  of  depraved  creatures.  In  short, 
it  is  no  better  than  to  enforce  the  tithing  of  mint  and 
cummin,  to  the  neglect  of  judgment,  mercy^,  and  the 
love  of  God. 

On  this  sandy  foundation  rests  the  whole  fabric  of 
self-righteous  hope,  and  all  the  spiritual  pride  which 
attaches  to  it.  So  long  as  we  are  blinded  to  the 
spirituality  and  requirements  of  the  divine  law,  we 
are  in  effect  without  the  law  and  alive  in  our  own 
conceit ;  and  while  this  is  the  case,  we  shall  see  no 
necessity  for  salvation  by  free  grace  through  a  Media- 
tor, nor  any  fitness  in  it.  Seeking  to  be  justified  as 
it  were  by  the  works  of  the  law,  we  shall  continue  to 
stumble  at  the  stumbling-stone.  But  when  the  com- 
mandment in  its  true  extent  comes  home  to  the  con- 
science, we  find  ourselves  the  subjects  of  abundance 
of  sin,  of  which  we  never  before  suspected  ourselves; 


324  DOCTRINE   OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

and  then,  and  not  till  then,  we  die,  or  despair  of  ac- 
ceptance with  God  by  the  works  of  our  hands. 

We  are  clearly  and  expressly  taught  what  that 
doctrine  is  which  excludes  boasting,  and  by  conse- 
quence, what  it  is  that  nourishes  and  cherishes  it. 
"  Being  justified  freely  by  his  grace  through  the  re- 
demption which  is  in  Christ  Jesus;  whom  God  hath 
set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation  through  faith  in  his 
blood,  to  declare  his  righteousness  for  the  remission 
of  sins  that  are  past,  through  the  forbearance  of  God : 
to  declare,  I  say,  at  this  time  his  righteousness ;  that 
he  might  be  just,  and  the  justifier  of  him  that  believeth 
in  Jesus.  Where  is  boasting  then  ?  It  is  excluded. 
By  what  law  ?  of  works  ?  Nay ;  but  by  the  law  of 
faith."  "  Not  of  works,  lest  any  man  should  boast." 
But  if,  in  direct  opposition  to  this,  men  are  taught 
and  induced  to  believe  that  Christ  came  into  the 
world  only  to  give  us  good  instruction,  and  set  us  a 
good  example — that  there  is  no  need  of  any  atone- 
ment, for  that  repentance  and  a  good  life  are  of  them- 
selves sufficient  to  recommend  us  to  the  divine  favor, 
and  that  all  hopes  founded  upon  any  thing  else  than 
a  good  moral  life  are  merely  imaginary;  where  is 
boasting  now  ?    Is  it  excluded  ? 

It  is  a  general  truth,  manifestly  taught  in  the 
Scriptures,  that  spiritual  pride  is  fed  by  false  religion. 
All  the  false  teachers  of  whom  they  give  us  an  ac- 
count were  distinguished  by  this  spirit.  They  loved 
to  pray  standing  in  the  synagogues  and  in  the  corners 
of  the  streets,  that  they  might  be  seen  of  men.  They 
loved  the  uppermost  rooms  at  feasts,  and  the  chief 


ITS  HOLY  TENDENCY.  325 

seats  in  the  synagogues,  and  greetings  in  the  markets, 
and  to  be  called  of  men,  Rabbi,  Rabbi. — There  was  a 
certain  man  called  Simon,  who  beforetime  in  the  same 
city  used  sorcery,  and  bewitched  the  people  of  Sama- 
ria, giving  out  that  himself  was  some  great  one.  I 
will  come  unto  you  shortly,  and  not  know  the  speech 
of  them  that  are  puffed  up,  but  the  power ;  for  ye  suf- 
fer if  a  man  bring  you  into  bondage,  if  a  man  devour 
you,  if  a  man  take  of  you,  if  a  man  exalt  himself,  if  a 
man  smite  you  on  the  face.  Let  us  not  be  desirous  of 
vainglory;  if  a  man  think  himself  to  be  something 
when  he  is  nothing,  he  deceiveth  himself.  As  many 
as  desire  to  make  a  fair  show  in  the  flesh  constrain 
you  to  be  circumcised.  Beware  lest  any  man  spoil 
you  through  philosophy  and  vain  deceit,  after  the  rudi- 
ments of  the  world,  and  not  after  Christ.  Let  no  man 
beguile  you  of  your  reward  in  a  voluntary  humility, 
and  worshipping  of  angels,  intruding  into  those  things 
which  he  hath  not  seen,  vainly  puffed  up  by  his  fleshly 
mind.  Presumptuous  are  they,  self-willed ;  they  are 
not  afraid  to  speak  evil  of  dignities.  When  they 
speak  great  swelling  words  of  vanity,  they  allure 
through  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  those  that  were  clean 
escaped  from  them  who  live  in  error.  Diotrephes, 
who  loveth  to  have  the  preeminence,  receiveth  us  not. 

Though  the  divinity  and  atonement  of  Christ  be 
allowed,  yet  if  men  are  taught  and  induced  to  believe 
that  the  grand  object  obtained  by  his  death  is,  that 
repentance,  faith,  and  sincere  obedience  should  be  ac- 
cepted as  the  ground  of  justification,  instead  of  sinless 
perfection,  the  effect  will  be  to  cherish  spiritual  pride. 


V 

326  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

On  this  principle,  the  gospel  is  as  really  a  covenant  of 
"works  as  the  law,  only  that  its  terms  are  supposed  to 
be  somewhat  easier.  Nor  is  boasting  excluded  by  it. 
The  ground  of  acceptance  with  God,  be  it  what  it 
may,  must  be  that  which  is  made  our  plea  for  mercy. 
If  faith,  considered  as  a  virtue,  be  that  ground,  we 
may  then  plead  it  before  God,  as  that  for  the  sake  of 
which  we  hope  to  be  saved ;  and  if  this  be  not  boast- 
ing, nothing  is.  This,  I  am  persuaded  no  real  Chris- 
tian ever  did,  or  dare  attempt.  Many  good  men,  I 
doubt  not,  have  been  entangled  with  these  disputes  in 
theory ;  but  when  upon  their  knees,  it  is  in  the  name 
of  Jesus  that  their  petitions  for  mercy  are  presented, 
and  for  his  sake  only  that  they  hope  for  their  sins  to 
be  forgiven  them.  Faith,  in  the  one  case,  is  paying  a 
composition,  and  all  that  in  such  circumstances  ought 
to  be  required ;  but  faith,  in  the  other  case,  is  acqui- 
escing in  the  bestowment  of  mercy  as  a  free  and  un" 
deserved  favor :  not  as  the  reward  of  any  thing  good 
in  us,  but  of  the  obedience  and  death  of  the  Saviour. 
The  intercession  of  Christ,  in  the  first  instance,  would 
be  an  apology  for  the  well-disposed,  resembling  that 
which  he  offered  for  Mary  of  Bethany,  They  have 
done  what  they  could ;  but  in  the  last,  it  is  what  the 
Scripture  denominates  it,  an  intercession  for  trans- 
gressors. Here  the  divine  government  is  justified, 
the  conduct  of  sinners  condemned,  and  the  all-prevail- 
ing worthiness  of  the  Intercessor  alleged  as  the  only 
ground,  or  reason,  for  the  sake  of  which  mercy  should 
be  bestowed.  Thus  it  is,  that  while  ojfficiating  as 
the  Advocate  of  sinners,  he  sustains  the  character  of 
"  Jesus  Christ  the  righteous."    Finally,  influenced  by 


ITS  HOLY  TENDENCY.  327 

the  former  of  these  statements,  I  feel  myself  on  respect- 
able terms  with  my  Creator ;  though  not  sinless,  yet 
entitled  to  mercy,  as  doing  my  best :  influenced  by  the 
latter,  I  approach  my  Creator  as  a  sinner  ready  to 
perish,  without  a  single  plea  for  mercy  but  what  arises 
from  his  own  gracious  nature  operating  through  the 
atonement  of  his  Son.  And  through  my  whole  life, 
whatever  be  my  repentance,  my  faith,  or  the  sincerity 
of  my  obedience,  I  never  ground  a  single  plea  on  any 
of  these  things  as  a  procuring  cause  of  mercy,  but  in- 
variably desire  that  I  may  "  be  found  in  Him." 

The  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  in  Jesus 
Christ,  without  the  works  of  the  law,  is  in  itself 
exceedingly  humbling;  for  it  is  no  other  than  God's 
justifying  the  ungodly,  or  accepting  to  favor  a  believ- 
ing sinner,  not  for  any  worthiness  in  him,  but  for  the 
^ke  of  His  righteousness  in  whom  he  believeth.  It 
relates  to  the  way  in  which  we  who  are  unrighteous 
are  accepted  of  God  as  the  Lawgiver  of  the  world,  and 
treated  as  righteous.  If  we  had  retained  our  original 
righteousness,  justice  itself  would  have  justified  us ; 
but  having  sinned,  the  question.  How  shall  man  be 
justified  with  God  ?  is  too  difficult  for  human  wisdom 
to  solve.  Whatever  delight  the  Creator  takes  in 
honoring  and  rewarding  righteousness,  there  is  none 
left  in  this  apostate  world  for  him  to  honor  or  reward. 
"All  have  sinned,  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God." 
If  any  child  of  Adam,  therefore,  be  now  accepted  and 
rewarded  as  righteous,  it  must  be  entirely  on  difiTerent 
ground  from  that  of  his  own  righteousness.  What 
ground  this  could  be,  God  only  knew. 


328  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

This  great  difficulty,  however,  is  solved  by  the 
gospel.  We  are  "justified  freely  by  grace,  through 
the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  whom  God 
hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation  through  faith  in 
his  blood,  to  declare  his  righteousness  in  the  remis- 
sion of  sins  that  are  past,  through  the  forbearance  of 
God :  to  declare,  I  say,  at  this  time  his  righteousness  j 
that  he  might  be  just,  and  the  justifier  of  him  that 
believeth  in  Jesus.''  Hence  it  is  that  justification  is 
ascribed  to  fait\  not  as  a  virtue  which  God  consented 
to  accept  for  righteousness  instead  of  perfect  obedi- 
ence, but  as  receiving  the  righteousness  of  his  Son, 
of  which  our  justification  is  the  reward.  Justification 
by  faith,  and  being  made  righteous  by  the  obedience 
of  Christ,  are  the  same  thing.  Believing  in  him,  we 
are  united  to  him,  and  so  possess  a  revealed  interest 
in  him,  and  in  all  the  benefits  and  blessings  arising 
from  his  obedience  unto  death.  This  righteousness 
is  imputed  to  us,  or  counted  by  the  Lawgiver  of  the 
world,  in  his  treatment  of  us,  as  if  it  were  our  own. 
Not  that  it  really  is  our  own,  for  then  should  we  cease 
to  be  guilty  and  unworthy,  and  might  draw  nigh  to 
God  as  meritorious  beings;  but  as  Christ  was  "  made 
sin  for  us,"  though  in  respect  to  his  real  character  he 
"  knew  no  sin,"  so  we  are  "  made  the  righteousness  of 
God  in  him,"  though  in  respect  to  our  real  character 
we  are  worthy  of  death. 

To  believe  for  righteousness  is  to  receive  it  as  a 
free  gift,  and  so  stands  opposed  to  justification  by  the 
works  of  the  law,  which  is  to  receive  it  as  the  reward 
of  our  own  doings.  Hence  it  is  said  to  be  "  of  faith," 
that  it  may  be  of  grace.    Faith  is  necessary  to  justi- 


ITS  HOLY  TENDENCY.  329 

fication,  and  so  is  repentance  to  forgiveness ;  but  nei- 
ther the  one  nor  the  other  is  necessary  as  a  cause,  or 
as  being  that  for  the  sake  of  which  we  are  justified  or 
pardoned.  With  respect  to  the  meritorious  or  pro- 
curing cause,  nothing  is  necessary  but  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ.  The  sinner  in  his  justification  is  con- 
sidered as  altogether  unworthy,  and  even  ungodly. 
As  such  our  Redeemer  died  for  us,  and  as  such  he 
justifies  us. 

Being  accepted  in  the  Beloved,  our  services  also 
are  accepted  through  him.  The  Lord  had  respect 
not  only  to  Abel,  but  to  his  offering.  Thus  it  is  that 
our  duties  become  rewardable,  and  that  the  promises 
of  God  are  made  to  them.  There  are  no  promises 
made  to  the  doings  of  unbelievers,  however  fair  they 
may  appear  in  the  eyes  of  men. 

In  fine,  being  thus  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace 
with  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  draw 
near  to  a  throne  of  grace  with  humble  boldness,  as  to 
a  father. 

There  is  no  doubt  but  that  true  Christians  do 
possess,  though  not  without  interruption,  peace  of 
mind,  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  a  solid,  well  ground- 
ed persuasion  of  their  interest  in  eternal  life;  and 
some  have  represented  these  enjoyments  as  conveyed 
to  the  heart  by  immediate  revelation  from  heaven,  or 
by  the  suggestion  of  some  passage  of  Scripture  to  the 
mind,  the  import  of  which  seems  to  include  the  happy 
intelligence.  Suppose,  for  example,  a  person  to  be 
under  great  dejection  and  fear  respecting  his  interest 
in  Christ,  and  while  ho  is  poring  over  his  case  the 


330  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

passage  is  suggested  to  Hs  mind,  "I  am  thy  salva- 
tion ;"  some  would  suppose  this  was  no  other  than  the 
voice  of  God  speaking  peace  to  his  soul,  and  that  for 
him  to  question  the  goodness  of  his  state  after  this 
would  be  unbelief. 

The  question  may  here  be  asked,  In  what  way  does 
God  speak  peace  to  his  people,  or  say  unto  a  soul,  I 
am  thy  salvation  ? 

If  I  were  to  answer,  by  bestowing  gospel  peace 
upon  them,  or  enabling  them  to  discern  and  approve  the 
gospel  way  of  salvation,  it  would  be  a  just  application 
of  the  passages  of  Scripture  where  these  expressions 
are  found,  and  would  accord  with  other  scriptures. 
The  Lord  directs  poor  sinners,  saying,  "  Ask  for  the 
good  old  way,  and  walk  therein,  and  ye  shall  find 
rest  for  your  souls."  Jer.  6  :  16.  Our  Lord  takes  up 
this  language,  and  applies  the  good  old  way  to  him- 
self, saying,  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are 
heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest.  Take  my  yoke 
upon  you,  and  learn  of  me,  and  ye  shall  find  rest  to 
your  souls."  Matt.  11 :  28,  29.  Thus  it  is  by  an  ap- 
proving view  of  God's  way  of  salvation,  such  a  view 
as  leads  us  to  walk  in  it,  that  we  may  obtain  peace ; 
and  thus  it  is  that  God  speaks  peace  to  the  soul,  and 
says,  "  I  am  thy  salvation." 

It  is  of  small  importance  by  what  means  we  are 
brought  to  embrace  the  gospel  way  of  salvation,  if  we 
do  but  cordially  embrace  it.  It  may  be  by  silent 
reflection,  by  reading  or  hearing  the  word,  or  by  some 
suitable  part  of  Scripture  occurring  to  the  mind,  by 
means  of  which  the  soul  is  led  to  see  its  lost  condition, 


ITS  HOLY  TENDENCY.  331 

and  the  only  door  of  hope  opened  by  the  gospel. 
There  is  such  a  harmony  in  divine  truth,  that  a 
proper  view  of  any  one  branch  of  it  will  lead  on  to  a 
discovery  of  others ;  and  such  a  connection,  that  we 
cannot  cordially  approve  of  a  part,  but  that  the  whole 
will  follow.  And  no  sooner  is  the  gospel  in  posses- 
sion of  the  heart,  than  joy  and  peace  will  ordinarily 
accompany  it ;  for  if  we  behold  the  glory  of  God's 
way  of  saving  sinners,  and  approve  of  it,  we  must,  in 
a  greater  or  less  degree,  be  conscious  of  it ;  and  know- 
ing that  the  whole  tenor  of  the  New  Testament  prom- 
ises eternal  life  to  believers,  we  cannot  but  conclude 
ourselves  interested  in  it.  Believing  on  the  Son  of 
God,  we  are  justified;  and  being  thus  justified,  we 
have  peace  with  God,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
Rom.  5:1. 

Go,  if  you  would  know  the  value  of  the  peace  of 
God,  look  at  the  case  of  a  man  who  is  borne  down  by 
worldly  sorrow,  and  who  is  a  stranger  to  God.  Go, 
visit  a  poor  man  on  whom  the  Lord  hath  poured  out 
much  trouble  and  distress,  under  which  he  almost 
sinks,  and  yet  he  is  a  stranger  to  God.  He  has  no 
refuge  to  which  he  can  flee  in  the  hour  of  distress. 
From  this  you  will  judge,  in  some  degree,  what  a 
blessed  thing  it  is  to  have  the  peace  of  God.  This  it 
was  which  made  our  Lord  say,  "  I  send  you  forth  like 
sheep  among  wolves ;"  but  I  give  you  that  which  shall 
be  a  balance  to  every  load :  "  Into  whatsoever  house 
ye  enter,  say.  Peace  be  to  this  house."  Would  you 
know  something  of  the  value  of  this  blessing  ?  go  to 
ihe  room  of  a  poor  sinner  whose  eyes  are  opened, 


332  DOCTRINE   OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

whose  conscience  is  awake,  but  who  is  without  God 
in  a  dying  hour.     Did  you  never  visit  such  a  sinner, 
and  take  notice  of  him  when  he  did  not  expect  that 
he  had  an  hour  to  live  ?    Did  you  never  see  with  what 
a  frightened  countenance  he  views  you?     Oh,  that 
pale  face !  that  mind  which  looks  upon  the  past  with 
bitter  regret,  as  gone  for  ever,  and  on  that  which  is 
to  come  with  horror  and  dismay!     Did  you  never 
know  such  a  case  ?    You  might  know  many  such  cases ; 
they  are  not  rare.     There  you  might  learn  something 
of  the  value  of  the  peace  of  God ;  there  a  man  would 
give  a  thousand  worlds,  if  they  were  his  own,  for  a 
well-grounded  hope  that  his  sins  were  forgiven ;  there 
he  that  once  despised  religion,  the  man  who  has  joked 
and  derided  serious  people,  is  alarmed,  and  wishes 
that  those  very  people  whom  he  once  derided  would 
come  and  pray  with  him.     Who   can  estimate  the 
value  of  the  peace  of  God  ?    If  you  can  tell  the  worth 
of  the  salvation  of  a  soul — if  you  can  estimate  the 
pains  of  the  damned  in  hell — if  you  can  reckon  the 
loss  of  an  immortal  creature,  then  can  you  tell  the 
value  of  the  peace  of  God.     If  you  can  calculate  the 
worth  of  celestial  enjoyments,  all  the  pleasures  result- 
ing from  God's  favor,  then  you  may  calculate  the 
value  of  the  peace  of  God. 

That  which  endears  this  blessing  to  us  is,  not 
only  the  importance  of  it,  but  .the  medium  through 
which  it  comes,  "  through  Christ  Jesus."  Do  not  you 
think,  for  example,  that  the  parcel  of  ground  which 
Jacob  gave  to  Joseph  his  son,  was  endeared  to  Joseph 
because  it  was  the  dying  bequest  of  his  beloved  father? 
No  doubt  it  was;  that  was  the  " singular  portion"  he 


ITS  HOLY  TENDENCY.  333 

gave  to  his  son  Joseph :  and  what  made  it  still  more 
valuable  was,  that  his  father  had  wrested  it  from  the 
Amorites :  "  Which  I  took  out  of  the  hand  of  the 
Amorites  with  my  sword  and  with  my  bow."  And  the 
peace  of  God  must  be*  endeared,  because  it  was  ob- 
tained by  the  shedding  of  Christ's  blood.  How  it  will 
enhance  its  value  to  the  people  of  God,  that  it  was 
the  price  of  blood — the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  Heaven 
itself  would  not  be  a  thousandth  part  so  pleasant  to 
us,  if  it  had  not  been  obtained  in  this  way.  It  was 
obtained  by  the  shedding  of  Christ's  blood.  But  we 
pass  on  to  consider,  as  illustrative  of  the  value  of 
justification,  and  its  tendency  to  produce  holy  feelings 
in  the  souls  of  believers, 

The  nature  of  the  peace  which  flows  to  us 

FROM     justification     THROUGH    THE    ATONEMENT    OP 

Christ.     It  includes, 

1.  That  sweet  tranquillity  of  soul  which  arises  from  a 
well-grounded  persuasion  of  being  accepted  by  God.  This 
is  what  the  apostle  means  when  he  says,  "  Being  jus- 
tified by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God."  Being 
accepted  through  the  righteousness  of  the  Redeemer, 
we  have  peace  with  God.  I  need  not  inform  you 
that,  in  our  native  state,  we  are  all  at  war  with  God, 
and  God  with  us.  Sin  is  the  great  enemy.  It  has 
separated  great  friends.  God  and  man,  you  know, 
were  once  great  friends ;  but  sin  separated  those  chief 
friends,  and  drew  a  veil  of  separation  between  them. 
Man  became  an  enemy  to  God,  and  God  to  man. 
God  in  the  character  of  a  righteous  governor  was 
required,  his  own  rectitude  required  him  to  be  an 


334     '  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

enemy  to  man ;  for  he  hateth  all  the  workers  of 
iniquity:  but  through  the  mediation  of  the  Son  of 
God,  atonement  is  made ;  the  blood  of  the  cross  heals 
the  breach,  and  opens  the  way  of  communion.  God 
declares  himself  well  pleased  with  his  dear  Son ;  and 
every  poor  sinner  who  sues  for  mercy  in  his  name 
finds  relief.  The  past  is  forgiven,  is  forgotten ;  the 
soul  is  justified  through  the  redemption  of  Jesus 
Christ.     The  effect  of  all  this  is  sweet  peace. 

Who  can  estimate  the  sweetness  of  that  enjoyment 
which  arises  from  a  well-grounded  persuasion  that 
God  is  my  Father  ?  To  be  .permitted  to  say,  I  am 
an  heir  of  blessing;  I  am  no  longer  under  the  law, 
but  under  grace  j  I  am  no  longer  an  alien,  but  a  son 
or  daughter;  the  blessings  of  the  gospel  are  to  be 
made  my  own.  Where  such  are  the  persuasions,  there 
is  the  peace  of  God. 

2.  The  peace  of  God  includes  that  sweet  satisfaction 
which  possesses  the  mind  from  a  view  of  God  sitting  at  the 
helm  of  the  universe,  and  having  the  management  of  all 
our  concerns.  We  are  like  people  who  are  sailing  on 
the  ocean  in  a  storm.  This  troubled  ocean  casts  up 
mire  and  dirt,  and  we  are  continually  subject  to  tem- 
pests ;  and  were  it  not  for  the  consideration  that  we 
have  a  Pilot  at  the  helm,  a  God  who  has  the  turbu- 
lent ocean  under  his  control ;  were  it  not  for  tlie  con- 
sideration that  the  cares  of  the  world  were  under  his 
direction,  what  peace  could  we  enjoy?  Let  me  ask 
you,  thinking  Christians,  when  you  consider  the  tem- 
per of  the  world,  when  you  see  man  hating  his  fellow- 
man,  and  see  them  combining  against  one  another  by 
thousands — ^when  you  see  the  enmity  of  the  heart  to 


ITS  HOLY  TENDENCY.  335 

be  such  that  there  is  hardly  any  rational  hope  of 
peace  under  the  sun,  what  would  quiet  your  soul  but 
the  consideration  that  God  reigns,  and  that  the  inhab- 
itants of  the  earth  are  but  as  grasshoppers — that  he 
maketh  the  wrath  of  man  to  praise  him,  and  the 
remainder  thereof  he  doth  restrain?  The  thought 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  Head  over  all  things  to  his  church,' 
and  that  all  shall  contribute  to  the  spread  of  the  gos- 
pel, begets  that  peace  in  the  mind  which  enables  the 
psalmist  to  sing,  in  the  midst  of  tumult  and  confusion, 
"  Though  the  mountains  be  cast  into  the  depths  of  the 
sea,  there  is  a  river  the  streams  whereof  shall  make 
glad  the  city  of  God."  There  is  a  source  of  conso- 
lation to  the  children  of  God  to  which  others  are 
strangers.  God  will  help  his  people,  and  that  right 
early. 

3.  It  is  necessary  that  we  should  feel  some  degree  of 
peace  in  our  own  consciences.  We  cannot  experience 
the  peace  of  God,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  unless 
we  have  the  testimony  of  our  own  consciences,  that  in 
simplicity  and  godly  sincerity  we  have  had  our  con- 
versation in  the  world.  Enoch  had  the  peace  of  God 
when  he  had  this  testimony,  that  he  pleased  God. 
By  the  history  which  we  have  of  him,  which  is  very 
short,  it  appears  that  he  pleased  very  few  people. 
He  was  a  thundering  preacher  in  his  day,  the  object 
of  the  ill-will  of  his  hearers ;  but  he  had  the  testimony 
that  he  had  pleased  his  God. 

Nor  should  we  forget  to  study  the  holy  tendency 
of  this  blessing  in  the  great  use  op  peace  in  the 
Christian  conflict.    The  apostle  Paul,  speaking  to 


336  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

the  Philippian  Christians  of  his  day,  assures  them, 
"  The  peace  of  God,  which  passeth  all  understanding, 
shall  keep  your  hearts  and  minds."  The  word  here 
translated  "  keep  "  is  very  expressive  :  it  is  a  military 
term,  and  alludes  to  soldiers  that  are  in  a  besieged 
town ;  or  rather,  to  soldiers  that  come  in  aid  of  others 
who  are  besieged.  So  the  peace  of  God  is  that  to  a 
believer's  heart  and  mind  which  a  relieving  army  is 
to  those  who  are  besieged.  The  heart  and  mind  are 
supposed  to  be  besieged  by  the  temptations  of  the 
present  world,  and  in  danger  of  being  taken ;  and  the 
peace  of  God,  like  a  reinforcement  thrown  in,  affords 
relief,  and  prevents  their  being  obliged  to  give  up  the 
contest.  This  word  might  perhaps  be  expressed  by 
the  term  fortified — "  the  peace  of  God,  which  passeth 
all  understanding,  ^\i2l\  fortify  your  hearts  and  minds." 
The  terms  heart  and  mind  comprehend  the  whole  soul : 
the  one  is  put  for  the  affections,  the  other  for  the 
judgment ;  the  peace  of  God  serves  as  a  relief,  a  for- 
tification for  both.  Let  us  here  be  a  little  more  par- 
ticular. 

There  is  one  set  of  temptations  which  assail  the 
heart,  another  the  mind ;  and  the  peace  of  God  serves 
to  fortify  our  souls  against  them  both. 

1.  Let  us  inquire  what  are  those  temptations  which 
assail  tJie  heart.  In  times  of  persecution,  the  wrath, 
enmity,  and  outrage  of  a  wicked  world  were  such  as 
assailed  the  heart.  It  must  have  been  trying  to  the 
feelings  of  the  primitive  Christians,  and  all  others 
who  have  lived  in  times  of  persecution.  We  have 
BO  long  enjoyed  religious  peace  that  we  can  scarcely 
realize  the  scene.     But  only  consider  that  those  who 


ITS  HOLY  TENDENCY.  337 

were  persecuted  were  men  like  you  and  I,  and  their 
property  was  perhaps  obtained  by  the  sweat  of  their 
brow,  and  it  was  hard  to  have  that  wrested  from 
them  by  fines  and  imprisonment.  They  had  families. 
It  was  hard  to  be  torn  flesh  from  flesh,  bone  from 
bone.  Perhaps  the  tears  of  the  wives  and  children 
might  say,  "  Spare  him  for  our  sakes."  It  was  cruel ; 
it  must  needs  come  close  to  the  heart,  for  they  had  the 
feelings  of  men.  Nothing  but  the  peace  of  God  could 
fortify  them.  "  Behold,  I  send  you  forth  as  lambs 
among  wolves."  If  they  throw  you  into  dungeons — 
if  they  deprive  you  of  the  honest  fruits  of  your  indus- 
try, of  your  friends,  your  liberty — if  they  deprive  you 
of  all  these,  they  shall  not  deprive  you  of  one  thing, 
the  peace  of  God.  This  you  shall  be  able  to  carry 
with  you  into  the  darkest  dungeons,  and  it  shall  cause 
you  to  sing  praises  to  God  at  midnight. 

There  is  another  set  of  temptations  which  assail 
the  heart:  these  are  the  allurements  of  the  world. 
The  former  were  in  the  days  of  old  principally ;  these 
in  our  times.  The  world  seems  to  be  friendly  to  us ; 
its  pleasures  melt  resistance.  It  sometimes  captivates 
the  heart ;  and  I  know  not  but  enemies  of  this  descrip- 
tion are  more  dangerous  to  Christians  than  the  others. 
Many  have  stood  in  the  hour  of  persecution;  they 
could  fight  like  Samson  against  thousands,  when  the 
Philistines  set  on  them;  but  when  the  smiles  of  a 
Delilah  come  upon  them,  they,  like  him,  would  fall. 
There  is  nothing  so  good  an  antidote  to  this  as  the 
peace  of  God  in  the  heart.  But  peace  in  the  heart 
does  not  include  carnal  ease.  I  grant  that  this  is  no 
friend,  but  an  enemy.    Peace  and  union  with  God  are 

AtODenieot.  lO 


338  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

the  best  fortification  of  the  heart  against  the  allure- 
ments of  sense.  Not  all  the  terrors  of  Sinai,  nor  the 
curses  of  the  law,  are  so  good  a  preservative  as  the 
peace  of  God  in  the  heart ;  and  why  so  ?  It  affords 
superior  pleasure  to  that  of  the  world.  It  rises  infi- 
nitely above  it.  You  know  very  well,  that  when  a 
superior  light  shines  forth  it  eclipses  an  inferior  one ; 
so,  when  the  sun  shines  forth,  the  smaller  lights,  the 
moon  and  stars,  hide  their  heads — they  are  lost.  The 
peace  of  God  affords  a  so  much  superior  pleasure  in 
the  soul  as  to  overcome  flesh  and  sense.  Thus  it  is 
that  faith  overcomes.  You  have  often  read  that  ex- 
pressive passage,  "Who  is  he  that  overcometh  the 
world,  but  he  that  believeth  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the 
Son  of  God?"  •  Faith  penetrates  futurity;  it  rends 
the  veil  and  pierces  into  an  unknown  world ;  it  fixes 
'its  eye  on  eternity,  and  these  little  worlds  disappear — 
the  heart  becomes  dead  to  the  pleasures  of  sense.  It 
was  thus  that  Moses,  "  seeing  him  that  was  invisible," 
became  dead  to  the  pleasures  of  the  Egyptian  court. 
It  is  not,  then,  very  difl&cult  to  perceive  how  the  peace 
of  God — a  solid,  well-grounded  peace,  communion 
with  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ — tends  to 
make  a  man  dead  to  the  world  through  the  cross  of 
Christ. 

Again,  there  is  a  third  temptation  with  which  the 
heart  is  assailed,  and  this  is,  the  sorrows  of  the  world : 
the  losses,  the  bereaving  losses,  trials,  and  disappoint- 
ments which  befall  the  children  of  God,  which  on  some 
occasions  are  so  complicated,  so  heavy,  and  so  lasting, 
that  the  heart  is  in  danger  of  yielding  to  despondency. 
"  Oh  that  my  grief  were  thoroughly  weighed,  and  my 


ITS  HOLY  TENDENCY.  339 

calamity  laid  in  the  balances  together.  For  now  it 
would  be  heavier  than  the  sand  of  the  sea ;  therefore 
my  words  are  swallowed  up ;"  that  is,  I  want  words 
to  express  my  grief,  to  express  that  intolerable  grief 
which  rankles  in  my  bosom.  My  heart  is  in  danger 
of  yielding  to  despondency.  Nothing  but  the  peace 
of  God  can  now  preserve  it :  the  thought  that  God 
rules  and  overrules  all — that  whatever  befalls  us  is 
under  his  appointment — that  every  evil  is  overruled 
by  him  for  our  good.  Such  thoughts  as  these,  which 
constitute  the  peace  of  God,  bear  up  the  soul,  and 
keep  it  from  sinking  under  all  the  loads  of  distress 
by  which  it  is  burdened. 

Once  more,  there  is  another  temptation ;  and  that 
is,  despair  under  a  load  of  guilt.  I  do  not  know 
but  this  may  be  the  heaviest  of  all.  When  guilt  is 
fixed  on  the  conscience,  and  fixed  with  such  strong 
chains  that  it  becomes  impossible  for  us  to  break 
them,  the  temptation  to  sink  into  despair  becomes 
very  great.  0  how  many  wretched  souls,  under  a 
consciousness  of  guilt,  are  swallowed  up  in  despera- 
tion. It  was  thus  that  Cain  was  swallowed  up : 
"  My  punishment  is  greater  than  I  can  bear."  It  was 
thus  that  Judas  was  swallowed  up :  "I  have  sinned, 
in  that  I  have  betrayed  the  innocent  blood ;"  and  in 
his  despair,  he  went  and  hanged  himself.  Such  a  load 
of  guilt  as  this  is  greater  than  a  poor  sinner  can  bear. 
But  there  is  that  which  will  bear  us  up :  the  peace  of 
God  will  keep,  will  sustain,  will  fortify  the  heart, 
even  under  this  load. 

Here  is  the  difference  between  a  good  man,  when 
he  falls  into  sin,  and  a  bad  man.    When  Saul  re- 


340  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

belled  against  God,  and  God  expressed  his  displeas- 
ure against  him,  he  sunk  into  despair.  When  David 
sinned  against  God,  and  God  by  Nathan  had  reproved 
him  for  his  sin,  he  flew  into  the  arms  of  divine  mercy. 
"  Have  mercy  upon  me,  0  God,  according  to  thy  lov- 
ing-kindness ;  according  to  the  multitude  of  thy  tender 
mercies  blot  out  my  transgressions.  Wash  me  thor- 
oughly from  mine  iniquity,  and  cleanse  me  from  my 
sin."  A  view  of  the  divine  goodness  bore  him  up. 
Though  at  a  great  distance  from  God,  yet  some  faint 
gleam  of  the  mercy  of  God  preserved  him  from  de- 
spair. It  is  true  the  waves  of  sin  rolled  over  him; 
but  the  mercy  of  God  was  like  a  rope  held  out  to  him, 
by  the  laying  hold  of  which  he  was  saved.  "  Out  of 
the  depths  have  I  cried  unto  thee,  0  Lord ;  Lord,  hear 
my  voice :  let  thine  ears  be  attentive  to  the  voice  of 
my  supplications.  If  thou.  Lord,  shouldest  mark  in- 
iquities, 0  Lord,  who  shall  stand  ?  But  there  is  for- 
giveness with  thee,  that  thou  mayest  be  feared." 

What  terms  could  the  apostle  have  used  that  could 
be  more  expressive  ?  "  The  peace  of  God,  which  pass- 
eth  all  understanding,  shall  keep  your  hearts  and 
minds" — shall  support  you  under  afflictions,  and  afford 
relief  under  the  impressions  of  a  guilty  conscience. 

2.  The  mind  also  is  assailed  by  various  temptations 
and  difficulties.  The  peace  of  God  is  a  fortification  to 
the  mind  as  well  as  the  heart.  The  mind  is  expres- 
sive of  the  intellectual  part  of  man.  The  temptations 
to  which  the  mind  is  exposed  are,  chiefly,  pernicious 
principles  and  distracting  cares. 

The  pernicious  principles  which  are  circulated  in 
the  world  are  like  so  many  poisoned  arrows  aimed  at 


ITS  HOLY  TENDENCY.  341 

the  heart,  and  we  need  to  be  as  much  fortified  against 
these  as  against  any  others  which  I  have  mentioned. 
God  has  thought  fit  to  try  his  people  by  suffering 
them  to  go  forth.  It  must  needs  be  that  there  must 
be  scoffers  walking  after  their  own  ungodly  lusts. 
There  must  be  infidels  who  should  ridicule  the  Bible 
and  those  who  profess  its  doctrines.  These  are  so 
many  fans  by  which  God  thoroughly  purges  his  floor, 
which  is  composed,  methinks,  of  grain  and  chaff. 
There  are  many  professors  who  are  merely  chaff ;  and 
these  pernicious  principles,  these  scoffs,  these  jeers, 
that  are  uttered  against  the  gospel,  are  like  so  many 
blasts  of  wind  by  which  the  chaff  is  blown  away, 
while  the  grain  shall  stand  and  withstand. 

God  permits  pernicious  principles,  under  the  name 
of  Christianity,  to  go  forth.  There  must  needs  be 
heresies  among  you :  these  are  poisoned  arrows  which 
are  aimed  at  the  mind,  the  judgment,  and  if  they 
stick,  the  poison  of  them  very  soon  infects  the  whole 
frame;  for  that  which  once  fixes  on  the  judgment 
presently  affects  the  whole  soul,  the  whole  man. 
Here  we  need,  therefore,  to  be  particularly  fortified ; 
we  need  the  arm  of  God  to  keep  us.  One  of  the  seven 
churches  is  commended  because  it  had  kept  the  faith ; 
and  therefore  God  says,  "  I  also  will  keep  you  in  the 
hour  of  temptation."  Keep  right  with  God — keep 
close  to  Godr— keep  conversant  with  the  gospel  of 
peace — walk  close  to  the  God  of  peace,  and  these 
arrows  shall  not  touch  you.  You  shall  be  secure 
from  every  fiery  dart. 

To  these  I  would  add  distracting  cares.  For  as 
the  mind  is  in  danger  of  being  pierced  and  tainted 


342  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

with  pernicious  principles,  it  is  equally  liable  to  be 
hurt  and  interrupted  by  distracting  cares.  The  mind, 
or  the  judgment,  is  in  man  like  one  who  sits  at  the 
helm  of  a  ship — it  is  that  superior  thing  which  gov- 
erns and  controls  all  other  things.  The  mind  has  the 
reins  of  the  soul  in  its  hand,  and  the  apostle  says, 
"In  patience  possess  ye  your  souls."  But  when  dis- 
tracting cares  come  upon  us,  the  mind  is  in  danger  of 
being  swept  away  from  the  helm;  the  mind,  if  once 
confounded,  is  in  great  danger.  But  I  may  say,  as  I 
said  before,  the  peace  of  God,  that  sweet  peace  which 
arises  from  communion  with  God,  is  the  best  pre- 
servative. Let  that  once  get  possession,  and  you  will 
ride  out  the  storm,  and  enjoy  serenity  amidst  all  the 
tumultuous  scenes  which  are  passing  before  your  eyes. 

Oh  what  a  blessed  art  is  this,  to  be  able  to  rejoice 
in  God,  come  what  will!  The  primitive  Christians 
had  learned  this  heavenly  art  of  not  being  moved 
by  any  of  the  vicissitudes  of  fortune :  they  rejoiced 
always.  If  persecutions  broke  out  against  them,  they 
rejoiced  that  they  were  thought  worthy  to  suffer ;  so, 
come  what  will,  they  would  rejoice.  They  were  like 
the  industrious  bee,  who  extracts  honey  from  every 
opening  flower.  Be  it  to  others  sweet  or  bitter,  it  is 
all  alike  to  him.  Such  is  Christianity;  and  if  we 
entered  into  it,  it  would  teach  us  to  rqjoice  in  God, 
whatever  befalls  us :  though  there  should  be  no  fruit 
on  our  vine,  or  no  flock  in  our  folds,  yet  we  should 
rejoice  in  God.  Cultivate  this  spirit,  and  then  the 
peace  of  God  shall  keep  your  hearts  and  minds. 
You  will  bQ  armed  with  this  armor  of  God,  and  will 


ITS  HOLY  TENDENCY.  343 

be  able  successfully  to  defend  yourself  against  any 
enemy. 

In  reading  the  deeply  interesting  history  of  Joseph, 
we  should  have  expected  to  find  the  chief  butler  in- 
terceding with  the  king,  in  behalf  of  an  amiable  and 
injured  young  Hebrew  whom  he  had  met  with  in 
prison.  But  instead  of  this  we  are  told,  "  Yet  did 
not  the  chief  butler  remember  Joseph,  but  forgat  him." 
Alas,  what  a  selfish  creature  is  manl  How  strangely 
does  prosperity  intoxicate  and  drown  the  mind  I  How 
common  is  it  for  people  in  high  life  to  forget  the  poor, 
even  those  to  whom  they  have  been  under  the  great- 
est obligations!  "Well,  be  it  so;  Joseph's  God  did 
not  forget  him;  and  we,  amidst  all  the  neglects  of 
creatures,  may  take  comfort  in  this,  Jesus  does  not 
neglect  us.  Though  exalted  far  above  all  principal- 
ities and  powers,  he  is  not  elated  with  his  glory,  so 
as  to  forget  his  poor  suffering  people  upon  earth. 
Only  let  us  be  concerned  not  to  forget  him.  He  who 
needs  not  our  esteem,  as  we  do  his,  hath  yet  in  love 
condescended  to  ask  us  to  do  thus  and  thus  in  remem- 
brance of  him. 

The  apostle  Jude  contemplates  this  subject  in  con- 
nection with  the  future,  and  describes  the  present 
duty  of  the  Christian  as  "  looking  for  the  mercy  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  unto  eterual  life." 

By  "  the  mercy  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  I  un- 
derstand that  which  is  communicated  through  his 
death,  and  with  the  dispensation  of  which  he  is  in- 
vested, both  now  and  at  the  day  of  judgment :  "  Of 


344  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

his  fulness  have  all  we  received,  and  grace  for 
grace."  "  The  Lord  grant  unto  him  that  he  may  find 
mercy  of  the  Lord  in  that  day." 

We  have  already  received  much  of  the  mercy  of 
Christ.  It  was  mercy  that  induced  him  to  assume 
our  nature  and  undertake  our  salvation,  to  give  him- 
self an  offering  and  a  sacrifice  to  God  for  us,  to  send 
his  Holy  Spirit  to  renew  us  when  we  were  dead  in 
sin,  to  intercede  for  us  at  the  right  hand  of  God, 
and  to  be  with  us  in  all  our  labors  and  sufferings  for 
his  name's  sake ;  but  in  respect  of  actual  enjoyment, 
there  is  inuch  more  yet  to  be  expected.  The  mercy 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  communicated  in  greater 
and  greater  degrees,  till,  like  rivers  terminating  in 
the  ocean,  it  issues  in  eternal  life. 

The  first  exercise  of  mercy  which  the  Scriptures 
direct  us  to  look  for,  on  our  leaving  the  body,  is  an 
immediate  reception  into  the  presence  of  Christ,  and  the 
society  of  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect.  "  The 
beggar  died,  and  was  carried  by  the  angels  into 
Abraham's  bosom."  "  Lord,  remember  me  when  thou 
comest  into  thy  kingdom.  And  Jesus  said  unto  him, 
Verily  I  say  unto  thee.  To-day  shalt  thou  be  with  me 
in  paradise."  "  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit."  "  We 
are  confident  and  willing  rather  to  be  absent  from  the 
body,  and  to  be  present  with  the  Lord."  "  I  am  in  a 
strait  betwixt  two,  having  a  desire  to  depart,  and  to 
be  with  Christ,  which  is  far  better."  "And  I  heard 
a  voice  from  heaven  saying  unto  me,  Write,  Blessed 
are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord  from  henceforth : 
Yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from  their 
labors ;  and  their  works  do  follow  them."    What  this 


ITS  HOLY  TENDENCY.  345 

overwhelming  tide  of  mercy  will  prove,  we  have  yet 
to  learn.  When  the  Lord  turned  again  the  captivity 
of  Judah,  they  were  like  those  that  dream ;  the  deliv- 
erance seemed  too  great  to  be  real.  And  thus  it  may 
be  with  believers  on  their  departing  from  the  body, 
and  entering  into  the  joy  of  their  Lord. 

If  an  inspired  apostle  could  say,  "  We  know  not 
what  we  shall  be,"  it  is  vain  for  us  to  think  of  forming 
an  adequate  conception  of  it. 

Another  stream  of  mercy  for  which  we  are  direct- 
ed to  look,  will  attend  the  second  coming  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  consist  in  the  dead  being  raised,  and 
the  living  changed.  "  The  Lord  himself  shall  descend 
from  heaven  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and 
with  the  trump  of  God ;  and  the  dead  in  Christ  shall 
rise  first ;  then  we  which  are  alive  and  remain  shall 
be  caught  up  together  with  them  in  the  clouds,  to 
meet  the  Lord  in  the  air;  and  so  shall  we  ever  be 
with  the  Lord."  It  has  been  usual  for  nations  to 
reserve  the  most  remarkable  acts  of  grace  to  the 
appearance  or  coronation  of  their  kings,  as  tending  to 
honor  their  entrance  on  the  government.  And  thus 
both  the  first  and  second  appearing  of  Christ  are 
periods  which  God  has  distinguished  by  the  most 
glorious  displays  of  mercy.  The  former  was  a  jubilee 
to  the  Gentile  world ;  and  the  latter  will  be  the  same 
to  the  whole  creation.  As,  on  the  sounding  of  the 
jubilee  trumpet,  the  captives  were  liberated ;  so,  when 
the  trump  of  God  shall  sound,  the  righteous  dead  shall 
be  raised,  and  their  resurrection  will  be  to  the  crea- 
tures of  God  the  signal  of  emancipation  from  under 
the  effects  of  sin. 

16* 


346  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

View  the  grave  as  a  long,  dark,  and  comfortless 
abode,  and  it  is  sufficient  to  appall  the  stoutest  spirit ; 
but  take  into  consideration  that  here  the  Lord  lay — 
that  he  was  raised  from  the  dead,  that  he  might  be 
the  first-fruits  of  them  that  slept — and  that  of  all  that 
the  Father  gave  him  he  will  lose  nothing,  but  will 
raise  it  up  at  the  last  day,  and  it  will  wear  a  different 
aspect.  Job,  when  contemplating  the  grave  as  a  long 
and  dreary  habitation,  describes  it  in  the  most  plain- 
tive language :  "  Man  lieth  down,  and  riseth  not — till 
the  heavens  be  no  more!'^  But  when  his  views  are 
fixed  on  the  deliverance  which  he  should  obtain  at 
that  great  and  glorious  day,  his  complaints  are  ex- 
changed for  triumphs.  It  is  delightful  to  observe  the 
erection  of  soul  which  a  believing  prospect  of  the 
resurrection  gave  him,  after  all  his  depression :  "  0 
that  my  words  were  now  written!  0  that  they  were 
printed  in  a  book !  that  they  were  graven  with  an  iron 
pen  and  lead  in  the  rock  for  ever  I  For  I  know  that 
my  Redeemer  liveth,  and  that  he  shall  stand  at  the 
latter  day  upon  the  earth ;  and  though  after  my  skin 
worms  destroy  this  body,  yet  in  my  flesh  shall  I  see 
God;  whom  I  shall  see  for  myself,  and  mine  eyes 
shall  behold,  and  not  another;  though  my  reins  be 
consumed  within  me."  In  a  strain  very  similar  to 
this,  the  apostle  Paul,  in  his  first  epistle  to  the  Co- 
Tinthians,  describes  the  victory  over  death  and  the 
grave,  representing  believers  as  actually  raised  from 
the  dead,  and  as  standing  upon  their  graves,  looking 
the  conquered  enemy  in  the  face,  and  exclaiming, 
"0  death,  where  is  thy  sting?  0  grave,  where  is 
thy  victory?    The  sting  of  death  is  sin;   and  the 


ITS  HOLY  TENDENCY.  347 

strength  of  sin  is  the  law.  But  thanks  be  to  God, 
which  giveth  us  the  victory  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ."  By  looking  for  this  part  of  the  mercy  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  we  shall  be  reconciled  to  death, 
even  before  we  meet  it. 

But  there  is  another  stream  of  mercy  beyond  this, 
to  which  we  are  directed  to  look,  and  which  pertains 
to  the  last  jicdgment.  We  have  an  impressive  idea 
given  us  of  this  in  PauFs  prayer  for  Onesiphorus: 
"  The  Lord  give  mercy  unto  the  house  of  Onesiphorus ; 
for  he  oft  refreshed  me,  and  was  not  ashamed  of  my 
chain ;  but  when  he  was  in  Rome,  he  sought  me  out 
very  diligently,  and  found  me.  The  Lord  grant  unto 
him  that  he  may  find  mercy  of  the  Lord  in  that  day." 

We  have  needed  mercy  on  many  days,  and  have 
found  it ;  but  that  is  a  day  in  which  we  shall  need  it 
more  than  ever.  To  be  acquitted  at  the  judgment- 
seat  of  Christ,  to  find  the  Judge  to  be  our  friend,  to 
be  absolved  of  all  our  offences,  and  more  than  ab- 
solved, approved  in  a  great  degree — approved  in  so 
far  as  we  have  followed  the  Lamb  in  the  present 
state — to  hear  him  thus  address  us,  "  Come,  ye  blessed 
of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world" — this  will  be  the 
grace  that  shall  be  brought  unto  us  at  the  revelation 
of  Jesus  Christ. 

It  is  a  notion  entertained  by  some,  that  the  sins  of 
believers  will  not  be  brought  into  judgment.  We  are 
assured,  however,  that  we  must  all  appear  before  the 
judgment-seat  of  Christ;  that  every  one  of  us  shall 
give  an  account  of  himself  to  God ;  and  that  of  every 
idle  word  that  men  shall  speak,  they  shall  give  account 


348  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

thereof  at  the  day  of  judgment.  The  mercy  of  the 
Lord  in  that  day  will  not  consist  in  connivance ;  but, 
as  in  all  other  instances,  be  exercised  consistently 
with  righteousness.  In  our  present  state  of  mind,  we 
may  wish  to  have  it  otherwise.  David  might  wish 
that  the  evil  he  had  wrought  in  secret  should  be  kept 
secret,  but  the  Lord  determined  to  expose  it  before 
the  sun.  It  does  not  comport  with  the  character  of 
God  to  conceal  the  truth,  but  to  make  it  manifest.  If 
the  sins  of  believers  were  not  brought  into  judgment, 
there  would  be  no  occasion  for  the  exercise  of  forgiv- 
ing mercy.  It  is  from  the  strictness  of  the  trial,  and 
the  awfulness  of  the  sentence  to  which,  if  dealt  with 
according  to  their  deserts,  they  would  be  exposed  in 
that  day,  that  mercy  wiU  be  needed.  The  world  shall 
know  their  guilt  and  their  repentance,  and  the  way 
in  which  they  are  forgiven;  so  as  to  glorify  God, 
though  it  be  unwillingly,  and  to  feel  the  justice  of 
their  own  condemnation.  In  this  view  of  the  last 
judgment,  the  manifestation  of  guilt  and  wrath  and 
mercy  will  each  surpass  all  our  present  conceptions. 

It  is  commonly  represented  in  the  Scriptures,  that 
every  man  will  be  judged  "  according  to  his  works  f 
and  true  it  is,  that  all  our  actions  and  words,  and 
even  thoughts,  will  undergo  an  impartial  scrutiny, 
and  be  considered  as  the  test  of  character.  They,  for 
example,  who  have  ministered  to  Christ's  members  in 
their  necessities,  will  be  treated  as  having  ministered 
unto  him;  and  they  who  have  disregarded  them,  as 
having  disregarded  him:  but  if,  by  being  judged 
according  to  our  works,  were  meant,  that  God  will 
proceed  with  us  on  the  principles  of  mere  justice,  giv- 


ITS  HOLY  TENDENCY.  349 

ing  to  every  one  his  due,  we  should  all  be  condemned : 
"If  thou,  Lord,  shouldest  mark  iniquities,  0  Lord,  who 
shall  stand  ?  But  there  is  forgiveness  with  thee,  that 
thou  mayest  be  feared." 

Nor  will  the  mercy  of  our  Lord  J[esus  Christ,  in 
that  day,  be  confined  to  the  forgiveness  of  sin :  even 
the  rewards  of  that  day,  though  expressive  of  right- 
eousness and  faithfulness,  yet  have  their  origin  in 
mercy.  The  crown  of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord 
the  righteous  Judge  shall  give  in  that  day  to  all  who 
love  his  appearing,  will  not  be  a  reward  of  debt,  but 
of  grace.  But  for  grace,  we  should  have  had  no  good 
deeds  to  be  rewarded ;  or  if  we  had,  they  could  no 
more  be  named  in  that  day,  than  the  good  behavior 
of  a  murderer  will  bear  to  be  alleged  as  a  balance 
against  his  crimes.  But  being  accepted  in  Christ, 
what  is  done  for  him  is  rewarded  for  his  sake.  Hence 
the  crown  of  glory  that  shall  be  bestowed  on  his 
appearing  is  denominated,  "the  grace  that  is  to  bo 
brought  unto  you  at  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ." 

And  then,  an  abundant  entrance  will  be  ministered 
unto  us  into  God's  everlasting  kingdom.  I  wish  I 
had  both  a  discernment  of  mind  and  an  opportunity 
to  investigate  the  vast  fulness  there  is  in  these  terms. 
An  abundant  entrance  shall  be  ministered  unto  you 
into  God's  everlasting  kingdom.  I  think  the  terms 
express  not  only  that  the  Christian  shall  enter  the 
kingdom  of  God,  but  that  he  shall  enter  as  we  should 
say  with  a  high  hand — not  steal  in,  not  enter  one  at 
a  time,  and  scarcely  dare  to  be  seen,  but  rather  like 
a  company  who  shall  march  in  with  their  colors  fly 


350  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

ing,  with  their  banners  displayed,  with  their  Com- 
mander at  their  head  ;  entering  in  with  all  the  pomp 
of  God,  with  the  approbation  of  the  Judge  of  the  uni- 
verse, with  the  shouts  of  heaven  and  earth,  with  the 
welcome  of  the  Lord  of  glory,  yes,  with  the  welcome 
of  all  holy  intelligences:  this  is  that  abundant  en- 
trance which  will  be  ministered  unto  us  at  the  appear- 
ing of  Jesus  Christ. 

Put  all  these  things  together.  Is  not  this  enough 
to  stimulate  us  to  gird  up  the  loins  of  our  minds  ?  Do 
not  let  us  faint  under  a  few  present  difficulties  and 
burdens.  Gird  up  the  loins  of  your  minds — ^be  sober 
in  the  present  state — hope  to  the  end  for  the  grace 
that  is  to  be  brought  to  you  at  the  revelation  of  Jesus 
Christ.  Oh,  our  enjoyment  of  God  there  will  oblit- 
erate the  remembrance  of  all  our  former  sorrows. 
Yes,  a  moment's  communion  with  God  there  will  an- 
nihilate the  misery  of  ten  thousand  years.  Be  not 
therefore  distressed  under  present  difficulties,  but  gird 
up,  press  forward,  hope  a  little  longer,  and  God  will 
put  you  in  possession  of  that  blessed  immortality. 

"We  must  not  forget  that  the  possession  of  all  this 
glory  stands  connected  with  justification  by  faith  in 
Jesus  Christ.  The  whole  rests  on  this  doctrine. 
Whom  he  "justified,  them  he  also  glorified."  It  is  a 
very  serious  question,  on  what  ground  we  rest  our  ac- 
ceptance with  God.  It  was  at  this  doctrine  that  the 
Jewish  nation  stumbled  and  fell.  Let  their  fall  be 
our  warning.  "  The  Gentiles,  which  followed  not 
after  righteousness,  have  attained  to  righteousness, 
even  the  righteousness  which  is  of  faith.    But  Israel, 


ITS  HOLY  TENDENCY.  351 

which  followed  after  the  law  of  righteousness,  hath 
not  attained  to  the  law  of  righteousness.  Where- 
fore ?  Because  they  sought  it  not  by  faith,  but  as  it 
were  by  the  works  of  the  law  j  for  they  stumbled  at 
that  stumbling-stone." 

The  view  of  the  holy  and  happy  assembly  of  heaven 
might  well  excite  in  the  apostle  John  emotions  of  ad- 
miration and  joy.  And  when  one  of  the  elders  asks 
him  what  he  conceives  them  to  be,  and  whence  they 
come — though  it  would  seem  as  if  they  must  be  pure 
celestial  beings,  whose  whole  existence  had  been  filled 
up  with  righteousness  and  blessedness — he  does  not 
presume  to  say  what  he  thought  they  were,  whether 
men  or  angels,  nor  to  offer  any  opinion  as  to  whence 
they  came,  but  modestly  refers  it  to  his  instructor  to 
inform  him.  The  answer  is,  in  effect,  that  they  are 
men — men  who  were  lately  upon  earth,  exposed  to 
great  tribulations,  but  who  had  come  out  of  them. 
And  as  to  their  "  white  robes,"  they  had  been  once 
impure,  but  were  washed  and  made  white,  not  in  their 
own  blood,  though  that  in  innumerable  instances  had 
been  shed,  but  "in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb."  It  was 
as  believing  in  his  death  that  they  were  justified  and 
sanctified ;  and  having  lived  by  faith  oji  him,  they 
were  without  fault  "  before  the  throne  of  God." 

StiJl  more  to  stimulate  the  servants  of  God  in  this 
world  to  persevere,  he  adds,  "And  He  that  sitteth 
upon  the  throne  shall  dwell  among  them.  They  shall 
hunger  no  more,  neither  thirst  any  more;  neither 
shall  the  sun  light  on  them,  nor  any  heat.  For  the 
Lamb  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  shall  feed 


352  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

them,  and  shall  lead  them  unto  living  fountains  of 
waters ;  and  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their 
eyes." 

The  whole  church  of  God  in  heaven  is  described 
as  falling  down  before  the  Lamb,  and  joining  in  a 
chorus  of  praise.  The  "golden  vials  full  of  odors'' 
doubtless  allude  to  those  of  the  priests  who  offered 
incense,  and  denote  that  the  church  on  earth  is  ever 
employed  in  presenting  its  petitions  before  the  throne. 
They  had  also  "harps"  as  well  as  vials,  and  "sung  a 
new  song,"  denoting  the  great  occasion  there  now 
was  for  joy  and  praise.  A.new  song  is  suited  to  a 
new  manifestation  of  mercy.  The  Lamb  is  found 
worthy  to  take  the  book,  and  to  open  the  seals ;  and 
they  perceive  the  ground  of  it  to  lie  in  his  having 
redeemed  them  at  the  expense  of  his  blood. 

Nor  could  the  angels  on  such  an  occasion  be  silent, 
but  must  join  in  the  choir.  Myriads  of  myriads,  a 
number  that  no  man  could  number,  unite  in  ascribing 
worthiness  to  the  Lamb,  and  that  on  the  same  ground 
as  redeemed  men  had  done,  namely,  his  having  been 
"  slain ;"  a  proof  this  of  disinterested  affection,  both  to 
the  Redeemer  and  the  redeemed.  "  He  took  not  on 
him  the  nature  of  angels,  but  the  seed  of  Abraham ;" 
yet  angels  unite  in  praising  him  for  his  love  to  men. 

In  enumerating  the  things  which  he  was  worthy 
to  receive,  it  is  remarkable  how  they  keep  their  eye 
on  those  perfections  of  which  he  had  emptied  himself 
in  his  humiliation.  He  did  not  lay  aside  any  thing 
pertaining  to  his  goodness,  but  merely  what  belonged 
to  his  greatness.    He  was  no  less  holy,  just,  faithful, 


ITS  HOLY  TENDENCY.  353 

and  merciful,  when  on  earth,  than  he  is  now  in  heaven ; 
but  he  emptied  himself  of  "  power,"  as  laying  aside  his 
authority,  and  taking  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant ; 
of  "  riches,"  as  becoming  poor,  that  we  .through  his 
poverty  might  be  made  rich  ;  of  "  wisdom,"  as  making 
himself  of  no  reputation ;  of  "  strength,"  as  becoming 
weak  and  subject  to  death  like  other  men ;  of  "  honor," 
as  not  appearing  in  his  native  divinity,  but  as  a  man, 
and  a  man  of  obscure  birth,  despised  of  the  people  ;  of 
"  glory,"  as  subjecting  himself  to  shame  and  disgrace ; 
and  of  "  blessing,"  as  receiving  not  the  benedictions 
so  much  as  the  execrations  of  those  among  whom  he 
sojourned.  The  purport  of  the  song  is,  by  how  much 
he  hath  emptied  himself  on  earth,  by  so  much  let  him 
be  magnified  and  exalted  in  heaven. 


354  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


CHAPTER   XIY. 

THE    RESULTS   OF  PREACHINa   THE   DOCTRINE   OF 
JUSTIFICATION. 

That  the  gospel  of  Christ  has  an  influence  on  the 
souls  of  men  cannot  be  denied ;  as  a  means,  it  is  natu- 
rally adapted  to  this  end.  Even  where  it  is  not  cor- 
dially believed,  it  is  often  known  to  operate  power- 
fully upon  the  mind  and  conscience.  It  is  natural  to 
suppose  that  it  should  do  so :  the  human  mind  is  so 
formed  as  that  words,  whether  spoken  or  written, 
should  influence  it.  We  cannot  read  or  hear  a  dis- 
course of  any  kind,  if  it  be  interesting,  without  being 
more  or  less  affected  by  it ;  and  it  would  be  very  sur- 
prising if  the  gospel,  which  implies  our  being  utterly 
undone,  and  relates  to  our  everlasting  well-being, 
should  be  the  only  subject  in  nature  which  should 
have  no  effect  upon  us.  The  gospel  also  being  indited 
by  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  influence  which  it  has  upon 
the  minds  of  men  is  ascribed  to  him.  It  was  in  this 
way,  that  is,  by  the  preaching  of  Noah,  that  the  Spirit 
of  Jehovah  "strove"  with  the  antediluvians.  It  was 
in  this  way  that  he  was  "  resisted  "  by  the  Israelites ; 
that  is,  they  resisted  the  messages  which  the  Holy  Spirit 
sent  to  them  by  Moses  and  the  prophets.  Hence  the 
expressive  language  in  the  confession  recorded  in  Neh. 
9  :  30 :  "  Many  years  didst  thou  testify  against  them 
hy  thy  Spirit  in  thy  prophets."    Also  the  pointed  ad- 


RESULTS  OF  PREACHINa  IT.  355 

dress  of  Stephen  to  those  who  rejected  the  gospel  of 
Christ,. in  Acts  7  :  51:  "Ye  do  always  resist  the  Holy 
Ghost :  as  your  fathers  did,  so  do  ye."  This,  for  aught 
I  can  conceive,  may  with  propriety  be  called  the  com- 
mon operation  of  the  grace  of  God. 

As  the  gospel  has  an  effect  upon  the  minds  and 
consciences  even  of  many  who  do  not  cordially  believe 
it,  much  more  does  it  influence  those  who  do.  In 
them  it  works  effecttLoUy^  transforming  them  into  its 
own  likeness.  1  Thess.  2:13.  Their  hearts  are  cast 
into  it  as  into  a  mould,  and  all  its  sacred  principles 
become  to  them  principles  of  action.  The  grace,  the 
wisdom,  the  purity,  the  justice,  and  the  glory  of  it, 
powerfully  subdue,  melt,  and  attract  their  hearts  to 
love  and  obedience.  The  pmjoer  of  God  had  often 
been  exerted  by  various  means,  and  to  various  ends. 
Thunder  and  smoke,  and  blackness  and  darkness  and 
tempest,  as  displayed  on  mount  Sinai,  were  the  power 
of  God  unto  conviction.  Overwhelming  floods  and 
devouring  flames,  in  the  case  of  the  old  world  and  of 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  were  the  power  of  God  unto 
conviction.  Nor  were  these  means  better  adapted 
to  their  ends  than  is  the  gospel  to  be  the  power  of 
God  unto  salvation.  It  has  ever  pleased  God  by 
this  means,  weak  and  despised  as  it  is  in  the  account 
of  men,  "To  save  them  that  believe."  "This  is  the 
victory  that  overcometh  the  world,  even  our  faith." 

But  what  is  the  gospel?  I  shall  not  attempt  to 
specify  particulars,  but  mention  certain  scriptural  me- 
diums by  which  you  yourselves  may  judge  of  it. 

1.  We  may  form  a  judgment  wherein  the  gospel 


356  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

consists,  by  the  brief  descriptions  which  are  given  of  it. 
The  New  Testament  abounds  with  these  descriptions  ; 
it  delights  in  epitome.  For  example :  "  God  so  loved 
the  world  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that 
whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but 
have  everlasting  life."  This  is  the  common  salva- 
tion ;  and  surely  I  need  not  ask  whether  the  doctrine 
which  denies  the  perishing  condition  of  sinners  by 
nature,  and  supposes  the  unspeakable  gift  of  Heaven 
to  be  a  mere  fellow-creature,  sent  only  to  instruct  us 
and  to  set  us  a  good  example,  can  comport  with  this 
representation.  Again,  "  The  Jews  require  a  sign," 
or  miracle,  "  and  the  Greeks  seek  after  wisdom ;  but 
we  preach  Christ  crucified,  unto  the  Jews  a  stumbling- 
block,  and  to  the  Greeks  foolishness ;  but  unto  them 
that  are  called,  both  Jews  and  Greeks,  Christ  the 
power  of  God,  and  the  wisdom  of  God."  This  is  the 
common  salvation.  We  hear  of  preachers  knowing 
their  auditors,  and  preaching  accordingly ;  but  Paul 
went  straight  forward,  regardless  of  the  desires  of 
men.  Again,  "  I  determined  not  to  know  any  thing 
among  you  but  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified."  In 
each  of  these  passages  the  gospel  is  supposed  to  be 
summarily  comprehended  in  what  relates  to  the  per- 
son and  work  of  Christ.  This  is  the  foundation 
which  God  has  laid  in  Zion ;  this  is  the  common  sal- 
vation. Again,  "  I  declare  unto  you  the  gospel  which 
I  preached  unto  you,  which  also  ye  have  received, 
and  wherein  ye  stand,  by  which  also  ye  are  saved,  if 
ye  keep  in  memory,"  or  hold  fast,  "what  I  have 
preached  unto  you,  unless  ye  have  believed  in  vain. 
For  I  delivered  unto  you,  first  of  all,  that  which  I  also 


RESULTS  OF  PREACHING  IT.  357 

received,  how  that  Christ  died  for  our  sins  according 
to  the  Scriptures ;  and  that  he  was  buried,  and  that  he 
rose  again  the  third  day,  according  to  the  Scriptures." 
Here  also  we  see  what  is  the  gospel,  and  what  that  is 
on  which  the  present  standing  and  final  salvation  of 
Christians  depend ;  and  I  appeal  to  every  thing  that 
is  candid  and  impartial  in  my  readers,  whether  such 
importance  can  be  attached  to  the  death,  burial,  and 
resurrection  of  Christ  upon  any  other  principle  than 
that. of  his  dying  in  our  stead,  and  rising  again  as  our 
forerunner.  Finally,  "  This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and 
worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Jesus  Christ  came  into 
the  world  to  save  sinners  ;  of  whom  I  am  chief."  This 
language  supposes  that,  in  coming  into  the  world,  our 
Lord  was  voluntary ,  or  that  it  was  with  design,  which 
supposes  his  preexistence ;  and  that  this  design  was 
to  save  sinners,  the  chief  of  sinners.  In  calling  it  a 
faithful  or  true  "  saying,"  it  is  intimated  that  it  was 
so  much  the  theme  of  the  apostle's  ministry,  and  so 
well  known  among  Christians,  as  to  become  prover- 
bial. A  saying  grown  into  credit  by  experience  of 
its  truth,  is  the  definition  which  has  been  given  of  a 
proverb ;  and  such  was  the  true  saying  of  Paul.  This, 
therefore,  must  be  the  gospel — "the  common  salva- 
tion." 

2.  We  may  judge  wherein  the  "common  salva- 
tion" consists  by  the  brief  descriptions  which  are  given 
of  the  faith  of  primitive  Christians.  This,  as  well  as 
the  gospel,  is  frequently  epitomized  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, and  it  may  be  expected  that  the  one  will  agree 
with  the  other.  "  So  we  preach,  and  so  ye  believed." 
The  creed  of  the  first  believers,  it  has  often  been  re- 


358  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

marked,  was  very  simple.  "  I  believe  that  Jesus  Christ 
is  the  Son  of  God."  "  Whosoever  believeth  that  Jesus 
is  the  Christ,  is  born  of  God."  "  Who  is  he  that  over- 
cometh  the  world,  but  he  that  believeth  that  Jesus  is 
the  Son  of  God  ?"  Believing  is  called  "  receiving  the 
witness,"  or  record,  "  of  God.  And  this  is  the  record, 
that  God  hath  given  to  us  eternal  life,  and  that  this 
life  is  in  his  Son."  There  are  many  other  important 
truths,  no  doubt,  the  belief  of  which  is  necessary  to 
salvation ;  such  as  the  being  and  perfections  of  God, 
the  evil  of  sin,  etc.,  but  they  are  all  involved  in  the 
doctrine  of  "  Christ  and  him  crucified."  This  all-im- 
portant principle  is  a  golden  link,  which  if  laid  hold 
of,  draws  with  it  the  whole  chain  of  evangelical  truth. 
Let  a  man  cordially  embrace  this,  and  you  may  trust 
him  for  the  rest. 

There  are,  I  conceive,  four  things  which  essentially 
belong  to  the  "  common  salvation :"  its  necessity,  its 
vicarious  medium,  its  freeness  to  the  chief  of  sinners, 
and  its  holy  efficacy.  If  we  doubt  whether  we  stand 
in  need  of  salvation,  or  overlook  the  atonement,  or 
hope  for  an  interest  in  it  any  otherwise  than  as  un- 
worthy, or  rest  in  a  mere  speculative  opinion,  which 
has  no  effectual  influence  on  our  spirit  and  conduct, 
we  are  at  present  unbelievers,  and  have  every  thing 
to  learn. 

But  why  is  the  gospel  called  the  word?  It  is 
sometimes  denominated  the  word  of  the  truth  of  the 
gospel;  sometimes  the  word  of  reconciliation,  some- 
times the  *word  of  life.  Why,  I  ask,  is  the  gospel 
called  the  word  of  God?    Here  we  can  be  at  no  loss 


RESULTS  OF  PREACHINa  IT  359 

in  giving  an  answer.     It  is  because  it  is  expressive  of 
the  mind  or  heart  of  God.    Words  are,  or  should  be,  ex- 
pressive of  the  heart.   This  word  is  expressive  of  God's 
heart.    There  is  not  any  expression  of  his  heart  equal 
to  it.    There  are  many  things  pertaining  to  the  works 
of  God  which  manifest  his  perfections.     The  heavens 
declare  his  power  and  goodness,  and  the  firmament 
showeth  his  handy  works.     The  providence  of  God, 
and  the  judgments  of  God,  which  have  been  abroad 
in  all  ages,  have  been  expressive  of  his  faithfulness 
and  righteousness.    In  fact,  there  are  many  things 
which  show  a  part  of  the  divine  character.     Here  all 
the  rays  of  divinity  meet  together,  and  concentrate 
in  a  focus.    Here  they  form  one  general  blaze.    There 
is  not  an  attribute  in  the  divine  nature,  or  a  feature 
in  his  character,  but  what  is  expressed  in  the  gospel 
of  salvation,  in  the  gospel  of  the  Son  of  God.    This 
is,  in  a  peculiar  sense,  called  his  word,  because  it  is 
expressive  of  his  whole  heart.     And  I  might  say  it  is 
expressive  of  his  final  decision  :  it  is  God's  last  mind. 
There  are  many  things  expressive  of  the  mind  of  God, 
but  not  of  his  final  decision.     For  instance,  the  holy 
law  of  God  is  expressive  of  his  holiness,  and  of  his 
mind  in  part ;  and  the  curses  of  that  law  are  expres- 
sive of  his  displeasure  against  sin,  and  so  far  they  are 
expressive  of  the  mind  or  heart  of  God.    But  they  do 
not  express  his  final  decision ;  because  a  sinner  may 
be  under  the  curse  of  the  law,  and  yet  that  curse,  by 
his  fleeing  to  the  hope  set  before  him  in  the  gospel, 
may  be  removed,  and  turned  into  a  blessing.    The 
curse  of  God's  law  is  not  irrevocable.     But  the  curse 
of  the  Saviour  on  him  that  persists  in  unbelief  is,  see- 


360  DOCTEINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

ing  he  rejects  tlie  only  name  given  under  heaven 
among  men  whereby  he  can  be  saved.  The  gospel, 
therefore,  runs  in  this  language,  "  Go  ye,  and  preach 
the  gospel  to  every  creature :  he  that  believeth  and 
is  baptized  shall  be  saved ;  but  he  that  believeth  not 
shall  be  damned."  There  is  no  more  hope,  no  other 
way,  no  other  name.  It  is  God's  last  decision.  It  is 
the  final  resolve  of  the  eternal  Jehovah.  So  that  he 
who  rejects  it,  rejects  the  only  way  of  salvation,  and 
shall  inevitably  perish.  Considering  these  things,  you 
feel,  I  trust,  the  peculiar  propriety  of  denominating 
it  the  word  of  God. 

If  we  seek  a  religion  which  meets  the  necessities 
and  relieves  the  miseries  of  human  life,  Christianity 
alone  can  claim  to  do  this.  Every  one  who  looks 
into  his  own  heart,  and  makes  proper  observations  on 
the  dispositions  of  others,  will  perceive  that  man  is 
possessed  of  a  desire  after  something  which  is  not  to 
be  found  under  the  sun,  after  a  good  which  has  no 
limits.  We  may  imagine  our  desires  are  moderate, 
and  set  boundaries  beyond  which  we  may  flatter  our- 
selves we  should  never  wish  to  pass ;  but  this  is  self- 
deception.  He  who  sets  his  heart  on  an  estate,  if  he 
gain  it  will  wish  for  something  more.  It  would  be 
the  same  if  it  were  a  kingdom,  or  even  if  all  the  king- 
doms of  the  world  were  united  in  one.  Nor  is  this 
desire  to  be  attributed  merely  to  human  depravity, 
for  it  is  the  same  with  regard  to  knowledge:  the 
mind  is  never  satisfied  with  its  present  acquisitions. 
It  is  depravity  which  directs  us  to  seek  satisfaction 
in  something  short  of  God ;  but  owing  to  the  nature 


RESULTS  OF  PREACHING  IT.  361 

of  the  soul,  we  are  never  able  to  find  it.  It  is  not 
possible  that  a  being  created  immortal,  and  with  a 
mind  capable  of  continual  enlargement,  should  obtain 
satisfaction  in  a  limited  good.  Men  may  spend  their 
time  and  strength,  and  even  sacrifice  their  souls,  in 
striving  to  grasp  it,  but  it  will  elude  their  pursuit. 
It  is  only  from  an  uncreated  source  that  the  mind 
can  drink  its  fill.  Here  it  is  that  the  gospel  meets 
our  necessities.  Its  language  is,  "Ho,  every  one 
that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters,  and  he  that 
hath  no  money ;  come  ye,  buy  and  eat ;  yea,  come, 
buy  wine  and  milk  without  money  and  without  price. 
Wherefore  do  ye  spend  money  for  that  which  is  not 
bread?  and  your  labor  for  that  which  satisfieth  not? 
Hearken  diligently  unto  me,  and  eat  ye  that  which  is 
good,  and  let  your  soul  delight  itself  in  fatness.  In- 
cline your  ear,  and  come  unto  me;  hear,  and  your 
soul  shall  live."  "  In  the  last  day,  that  great  day  of 
the  feast,  Jesus  stood  and  cried,  saying.  If  any  man 
thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me,  and  drink."  "  He  that 
cometh  to  me  shall  never  hunger;  and  he  that  be- 
lieveth  on  me  shall  never  thirst."  How  this  lan- 
guage has  been  verified,  all  who  have  made  the  trial 
can  testify.  To  them,  as  to  the  only  competent  wit- 
nesses, I  appeal. 

Of  this  gospel  the  apostle  Paul  said  to  the  Ro- 
mans, "  I  am  not  ashamed."  There  is  nothing  in  the 
gospel,  or  in  true  religion,  of  which  we  need  to  be 
ashamed;  yet  as  things  go  in  this  world,  there  is 
danger  of  our  being  so.  The  contempt  with  which 
the  doctrine  of  the  cross  is  treated  by  unbelievers 

Atonement.  1 0 


362  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

requires  great  firmness.  Among  the  Jews,  to  whom 
the  apostle  preached  Christ,  they  looked  down  with 
scorn  upon  his  parentage,  his  appearance,  and  his 
ignominious  end ;  yet,  saith  the  apostle,  "  I  am  not 
ashamed."  Among  the  Greeks,  the  doctrine  of  eter- 
nal life  by  a  man  who  expired  on  the  cross,  appeared 
so  unphilosophical,  that  they  pronounced  it  "foolish- 
ness ;"  yet  here  also  the  apostle  could  say,  "  I  am  not 
ashamed."  There  is  that  in  the  gospel  which  opposes 
all  those  high  notions  which  proud  men  entertain  of 
themselves ;  and  as  they  form  the  great  majority  in 
society,  they  assist  in  keeping  each  other  in  counte- 
nance. Tell  such  men,  that  if  they  obtain  salvation 
they  must  seek  it  by  faith,  standing  upon  the  same 
low  ground  as  the  chief  of  sinners,  and  that  their 
prayers  cannot  be  heard,  except  in  respect  to  the  Me- 
diator, and  thUY  hearts  will  rise  against  it  as  a  nar- 
row and  illiberal  doctrine.  Nevertheless,  we  must 
not  be  ashame^^  A  necessity  is  laid  upon  us,  and  woe 
unto  us  if  we  preach  not  the  gospel. 

It  is  not  difficult  from  hence  to  perceive  what  the 
gospel  is.  If  Christ  had  been  exhibited  by  the  apos- 
tles merely  as  a  good  man,  teaching  a  pure  morality, 
setting  an  amiable  example,  and  dying  a  martyr  to 
confirm  his  mission,  it  is  difficult  to  conceive  how  the 
world  could  have  despised  his  doctrine,  or  what  occa- 
sion the  apostle  could  have  for  declaring  himself  not 
ashamed  of  it.  But  understanding  the  gospel  to  be 
the  doctrine  of  salvation  by  mere  grace,  through  an 
atonement,  we  easily  perceive  the  propriety  of  the 
language. 

We  may  again  ask,  Why  was  he  not  ashamed  of 


RESULTS  OF  PREACHINO  IT.  363 

the  gospel  ?  Because  it  was  "  the  power  of  God  unto 
salvation,  to  every  one  who  believed"  it.  How  was 
it  productive  of  this  effect  ?  As  revealing  "  the  right- 
eousness of  God,"  or  a  way  of  acceptance  with  God, 
by  faith  in  the  righteousness  of  Jesus  Christ.  The 
sense  of  the  apostle  is,  I  conceive,  that  the  gospel  is 
God's  grand  means,  by  believing  which  the  greatest 
sinners  are  raised  from  the  depths  of  guilt  and  misery 
to  everlasting  life ;  and  this,  its  powerful  and  salutary 
effect,  armed  him  against  all  unworthy  shame  on 
account  of  the  reproaches  it  lay  under  from  unbe- 
lievers. In  declaring  he  was  not  ashamed  of  it,  he 
meant  more  than  he  said — he  meant  that  he  accounted 
it  his  highest  glory.  They  tell  us  of  Archimedes,  that 
he  invented  engines  of  such  prodigious  power  as  to 
enable  the  Syracusians  to  throw  large  pieces  of  rock 
into  the  ships  of  their  besiegers,  so  as  to  sink  them 
and  deliver  their  country.  Would  Archimedes  or  the 
Syracusians  be  ashamed  of  their  engines?  Would 
they  not  rather  glory  in  them  ?  Much  more  would 
the  apostle  glory  in  an  engine  which  overthrew  the 
power  of  Satan,  and  saved  all  those  who  believed  with 
eternal  salvation. 

Every  thing  pertaining  to  the  gospel  was  glorious, 
but  there  was  one  principle  which  was  the  glory  of 
the  gospel  itself:  "  Therein  is  the  righteousness  of 
God  revealed  from  faith  to  faith."  This  is  the  doc- 
trine of  justification  by  faith,  which  runs  through  the 
epistle.  Not  that  faith  is  our  justifying  righteous- 
ness ;  for  the  righteousness  which  justifies  is  revealed 
"  from  faith  to  faith  :"  from  a  faithful  God  to  a  believ- 
ing sinner,  or  from  one  degree  of  faith  to  another, 


364  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

according  as  it  is  written,  "The  just  shall  live  by 
faith." 

Such  were  the  principles  which  emboldened  the 
apostle,  in  the  pursuit  of  his  multifarious  labors; 
which  loaded  him  with  a  deep  sense  of  his  obligations 
both  to  Greeks  and  Barbarians,  both  to  the  wise  and 
to  the  unwise;  and  which  made  him,  as  much  as  in 
him  was,  ready  to  preach  the  gospel  to  them  that 
were  in  Rome  also.  If  we  possess  a  portion  of  the 
same  spirit,  it  will  render  us,  as  much  as  in  us  is, 
ready  to  preach  it,  or  to  promote  the  preaching  of  it, 
to  the  ends  of  the  earth. 

It  is  Christianity,  and  nothing  else,  which  has 
destroyed  the  odious  idolatry  of  many  nations,  and 
greatly  contracted  its  attendant  immoralities.  It 
was  in  this  way  that  the  gospel  operated  in  the  prim- 
itive ages,  wherever  it  was  received ;  and  it  is  in  the 
same  way  that  it  continues  to  operate  to  the  present 
time.  Real  Christians  must  needs  be  adverse  to  these 
things,  and  they  are  the  only  men  living  who  cordially 
set  themselves  against  them. 

This  truth  will  receive  additional  evidence  from 
an  observation  of  the  different  degrees  of  morality 
produced  in  different  places,  according  to  the  degree 
of  purity  with  which  the  Christian  religion  has  been 
taught,  and  liberty  given  it  to  operate.  In  several 
nations  of  Europe,  popery  has  long  been  established 
and  supported  by  sanguinary  laws.  By  these  means 
the  Bible  has  been  kept  from  the  common  people, 
Christian  doctrine  and  worship  corrupted,  and  the 
consciences  of  men  subdued  to  a  usurper  of  Christ's 


RESULTS  OF  PREACHINO  IT.  365 

authority.  Christianity  is  there  in  prison,  and  anti- 
christianism  exalted  in  its  place.  In  other  nations 
this  yoke  is  broken.  Every  true  Christian  has  a  Bible 
in  his  family,  and  measures  his  religion  by  it.  The 
rights  of  conscience  also  being  respected,  men  are 
allowed,  in  religious  matters,  to  judge  and  act  for 
themselves;  and  Christian  churches  are  formed  ac- 
cording to  the  primitive  model.  Christianity  is  here 
at  liberty ;  here,  therefore,  it  may  be  expected  to  pro- 
duce its  greatest  effects.  Whether  this  does  not  cor- 
respond with  facts,  let  those  who  are  accustomed  to 
observe  men  and  things  witli  an  impartial  eye  deter- 
mine. 

In  Italy,  France,  and  various  other  countries, 
where  the  Christian  religion  has  been  so  far  corrupted 
as  to  lose  nearly  all  its  influence,  illicit  connections 
may  be  formed,  adulterous  intrigues  pursued,  and 
even  crimes  against  nature  committed,  with  but  little 
dishonor.  Kousseau  could  here  send  his  illegitimate 
offspring  to  the  foundling  hospital,  and  lay  his  accounts 
with  being  applauded  for  it,  as  being  the  custom  of 
the  country.  It  is  not  so  in  Britain,  and  various 
other  nations  where  the  gospel  has  had  a  freer  course  ; 
for  though  the  same  dispositions  are  manifested  by 
great  numbers  of  persons,  yet  the  fear  of  the  public 
frown  holds  them  in  awe.  If  we  except  a  few  aban- 
doned persons  who  have  nearly  lost  all  sense  of  shame, 
and  who  by  means  either  of  their  titles  or  fortunes  on 
the  one  hand,  or  their  well-known  baseness  on  the 
other,  have  almost  bid  defiance  to  the  opinion  of  man- 
kind, this  observation  will  hold  good,  I  believe,  as  to 
the  bulk  of  the  inhabitants  of  Protestant  countries. 


366  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

Some  of  tlie  most  striking  effects,  both  in  early 
and  later  ages,  were  not  accompanied  with  the  cir- 
cumstance of  novelty.  The  sermon  of  Peter  to  the 
inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  contained  no  new  doctrine; 
it  only  pressed  upon  them  the  same  things,  for  sub- 
stance, which  they  had  heard  and  rejected  from  the 
lips  of  Christ  himself;  and  on  a  prejudgment  of  the 
issue  by  the  usual  course  of  things,  they  would  proba- 
bly have  been  considered  as  more  likely  to  reject 
Peter's  doctrine  than  that  of  Christ;  because,  when 
once  people  have  set  their  hands  to  a  business,  they 
are  generally  more  unwilling  to  relinquish  it,  and 
own  themselves  in  the  wrong,  than  at  first  to  forbear 
to  engage  in  it.  And  as  to  later  times,  the  effects 
produced  by  the  preaching  of  Whitefield,  Edwards, 
and  others,  were  many  of  them  upon  people  not  re- 
markably ignorant,  but  who  had  attended  preaching 
of  a  similar  kind  all  their  lives  without  any  such  effect. 
The  former,  it  is  well-known,  preached  the  same  doc- 
trines in  Scotland  and  America  as  the  people  were  used 
to  hear  every  Lord's  day ;  and  that  with  great  effect 
among  persons  of  a  lukewarm  and  careless  description. 
The  latter,  in  his  "Narrative  of  the  Work  of  God  in 
and  about  Northampton,"  represents  the  inhabitants 
as  having  been  "  a  rational  and  understanding  people." 
Indeed,  they  must  have  been  such,  or  they  could  not , 
have  understood  the  compass  of  argument  contained 
in  Mr.  Edwards'  "Sermons  on  Justification,"  which 
were  delivered  about  that  time,  and  are  said  to  have 
been  the  means  of  great  religious  concern  among  the 
hearers.  Nor  were  these  effects  produced  by  voice 
and  gestures,  or  any  of  those  extraordinary  things  in 


RESULTS  OF  PREACHING  IT.  367 

the  manner  of  the  preacher  which  give  a  kind  of 
novelty  to  a  sermon,  and  sometimes  tend  to  move  the 
affections  of  the  hearers.  Mr.  Prince,  who  had  often 
heard  Mr.  Edwards  preach,  and  observed  the  remark- 
able conviction  which  attended  his  ministry,  describes, 
in  his  "  Christian  History,"  his  manner  of  preaching. 
"He  was  a  preacher,"  says  he,  "  of  a  low  and  moderate 
voice,  a  natural  delivery,  and  without  any  agitation 
of  body,  or  any  thing  else  in  the  manner  to  excite 
attention,  except  his  habitual  and  great  solemnity, 
looking  and  speaking  as  in  the  presence  of  God,  and 
with  a  weighty  sense  of  the  matter  delivered." 

Great  things  have  been  done  among  the  heathens, 
of  late  years,  by  the  Moravians.  About  the  year 
1733,  they  sent  missionaries  to  Greenland,  a  most 
inhospitable  country  indeed,  but  containing  about  ten 
thousand  inhabitants,  all  enveloped  in  pagan  dark- 
ness. After  the  labor  of  several  years,  apparently  in 
vain,  success  attended  their  efforts ;  and  in  the  course 
of  twenty  or  thirty  years,  about  seven  hundred  hea- 
thens are  said  to  have  been  baptized,  and  to  have 
lived  the  life  of  Christians.  They  have  done  great 
good  also  in  the  most  northern  parts  of  North  Amer- 
ica, among  the  Esquimaux ;  and  still  more  among  the 
negroes  in  the  West  India  islands,  where,  at  the  close 
of  1788,  upwards  of  thirteen  thousand  of  those  poor 
injured  and  degraded  people  were  formed  into  Chris- 
tian societies.  They  appear  to  possess  a  great  deal 
of  godly  simplicity ;  and  the  doctrine  of  atonement  by 
the  death  of  Christ,  in  particular,  forms  the  great  sub- 
ject of  their  ministry.    The  first  person  in  Greenland 


368  DOCTHINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

who  appeared  willing  to  receive  the  gospel,  was  an  old 
man  who  came  to  the  missionaries  for  instruction. 
"  We  told  him,"  say  they,  "  as  well  as  we  could,  of 
the  creation  of  man,  and  the  intent  thereof,  of  the  fall 
and  corruption  of  nature,  of  the  redemption  effected 
by  Christ,  of  the  resurrection  of  all  men,  and  eternal 
happiness  or  damnation."  They  inform  us  after- 
wards, that  the  doctrine  of  the  cross,  or  "  the  Crea- 
tor's taking  upon  him  human  nature,  and  dying  for 
our  sins,"  was  the  most  powerful  means  of  impressing 
the  minds  of  the  heathen,  and  of  turning  their  hearts 
to  God.  "  On  this  account,"  they  add,  "  we  deter- 
mined, like  Paul,  to  know  nothing,  save  Jesus  Christ, 
and  him  crucified." 

If,  Christians,  you  are  ready  in  every  possible  way 
to  extend  the  gospel  of  Christ,  allow  us  to  caution  you 
against  one  prevailing  error,  and  to  recommend  one 
important  rule.  The  error  to  which  we  allude  is, 
taking  it  for  granted  that  a  man  has  no  doubts  as  to  the 
gospel  way  of  salvation,  and  no  unwillingness  to  he  saved 
by  it,  provided  God  were  but  willing  to  save  him.  Such 
are  probably  his  thoughts  of  himself;  and  the  only 
question  with  him  is,  whether  he  have  an  interest  in 
Christ  and  spiritual  blessings.  Hence  he  is  employed 
in  searching  for  something  in  his  religious  experience 
which  may  amount  to  an  evidepce  of  his  conversion ; 
and  in  talking  with  you,  he  expects  you  to  assist  him  in 
the  search.  But  do  not  take  this  account  of  things  as 
being  the  true  one ;  it  is  founded  in  self-deception.  If 
he  understood  and  believed  the  gospel  way  of  salva- 
tion, he  would  know  that  God  was  willing  to  save 


-       RESULTS  OF  PREACHINa  IT.  369 

any  sinner  who  is  willing  to  be  saved  by  it.  A  will- 
ingness to  relinquish  every  false  confidence,  every 
claim  of  preference  before  the  most  ungodly  man,  and 
every  ground  of  hope  save  that  which  God  has  laid 
in  the  gospel,  is  all  that  is  wanting.  If  he  have  this, 
there  is  nothing  in  heaven  or  earth  in  the  way  of  his 
salvation.  In  conversing  with  such  a  person,  we 
should  impress  this  truth  upon  him,  assuring  him  that 
if  he  be  straitened  it  is  not  of  God,  but  in  himself; 
that  the  doubts  which  he  entertains  of  the  willingness 
of  God,  especially  on  account  of  his  sinfulness  and  un- 
worthiness,  are  no  other  than  the  workings  of  a  self- 
righteous  opposition  to  the  gospel,  as  they  imply  an 
opinion  that  if  he  were  less  sinful  and  more  worthy, 
God  might  be  induced  to  save  him ;  and  that  if  he  be 
not  saved,  it  will  be  owing  to  his  thus  continuing  to 
stumble  at  the  stumbling-stone.  Instead  of  allowing 
^at  he  believes  the  gospel,  and  is  willing  to  be  saved 
in  the  gospel  way,  while  yet  his  very  moans  betray 
the  contrary,  we  should  labor  to  persuade  him  that 
he  does  not  yet  understand  the  deceit  of  his  own 
heart ;  that  if  he  were  willing  to  come  to  Christ  for 
life,  there  is  no  doubt  of  his  being  accepted ;  in  short, 
that  whenever  he  is  brought  to  be  of  this  mind,  he 
will  not  only  ask  after  the  good  way,  but  walk  in  it, 
and  will  assuredly  find  rest  unto  his  soul. 

The  rvk  we  recommend  is  this :  point  tliem  directly 
to  the  Saviour.  It  may  be  thought  that  no  Christian 
can  misunderstand  or  misapply  this  important  direc- 
tain,  which  is  everywhere  taught  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment. Yet,  if  you  steer  not  clear  of  the  error  we  have 
referred  to,  you  will  be  unable  to  keep  to  it.    So  long 

16* 


370  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

as  you  admit  the  obstruction  to  believing  in  Christ  to 
consist  in  something  distinct  from  disaffection  to  the 
gospel  way  of  salvation,  it  will  be  next  to  impossible 
for  you  to  exhort  a  sinner  to  it  in  the  language 
of  the  New  Testament.  For  how  can  you  exhort  a 
man  to  that  which  you  think  he  desires  with  all  his 
heart  to  comply  with,  but  cannot?  You  must  feel 
that  such  exhortations  would  be  tantalizing  and  in- 
sulting him.  You  may  indeed  conceive  of  him  as 
ignorant,  and  as  such,  labor  to  instruct  him ;  but  your 
feelings  will  not  suffer  you  to  exhort  him  to  any  thing 
in  which  he;  is  involuntary.  Hence,  you  will  content 
yourselves  with  directing  him  to  wait  at  the  pool  of 
ordinances,  and  it  may  be  to  pray  for  grace  to  enable 
him  to  repent  and  believe,  encouraging  him  to  hope 
for  a  happy  issue  in  God's  due  time.  But  this  is  not 
pointing  the  sinner  directly  to  Christ.  On  the  con- 
trary, it  is  furnishing  him  with  a  resting-place  short 
of  Him,  and  giving  him  to  imagine  that  duties  per- 
formed while  in  unbelief  are  pleasing  to  God. 

If  you  point  the  awakened  sinner  directly  to  the 
Saviour,  after  the  manner  of  the  New  Testament,  you 
will  not  be  employed  in  assisting  him  to  analyze  the 
distresses  of  his  mind,  and  administering  consolation 
to  him  from  the  hope  that  they  may  contain  some  of 
the  ingredients  of  true  conversion,  or  at  least  the 
signs  that  he  will  be  converted.  Neither  will  you 
consider  distress  as  ascertaining  a  happy  issue,  any 
otherwise  than  as  it  leads  to  Christ.  If  the  ques- 
tion were.  Do  I  believe  in  Jesus  for  salvation  ?  then, 
indeed,  you  must  inquire  what  effects  have  been  pro- 
duced.    But  it  is  very  different  where  the  inquiry  is, 


RESULTS  OF  PREACHING  IT.  371 

What  shall  we  do  ?  or,  What  shall  I  do  to  be  saved  ? 
The  murderers  of  Christ,  were  distressed  ;  but  Peter 
did  not  attempt  to  comfort  them  by  alleging  that  this 
was  a  hopeful  sign  of  their  conversion,  or  by  any  way 
directing  their  attention  to  what  was  within  them. 
On  the  contrary,  he  exhibited  the  Saviour,  and  ex- 
horted them  to  repent  and  be  baptized  in  his  name. 
The  same  may  be  said  of  the  Philippian  jailer.  He 
was  in  great  distress,  yet  no  comfort  was  adminis- 
tered to  him  from  this  quarter,  nor  any  other,  except 
the  salvation  of  Christ.  Him  Paul  and  Silas  exhib- 
ited, and  in 'him  directly  exhorted  him  to  believe. 
The  promise  of  rest  is  not  made  to  the  weary  and 
heavy -laden,,  but  to  those  who  cmie  to  Christ  under 
their  burdens. 

Our  usefulness  depends  much  on  our  being  strong 
in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his  might.  If  our 
souls  be  in  a  languishing  state,  what  good  can  we  do 
in  the  world  ?  "Ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth  ;  but  if 
the  salt  have  lost  its  savor,  wherewith  shall  it  be 
salted  ?  It  is'  henceforth  good  for  nothing."  What 
good  can  we  do  in  society,  among  our  immediate 
connections,  or  in  our  families,  but  as  we  diffuse  a 
savor  of  Christ  ?  And  how  can  this  be  done  if  we 
ourselves  have  lost  that  savor,  and  are  become  lifeless 
and  unfruitful  in  the  ways  of  God  ?  At  the  close  of 
every  day  it  becomes  us  to  inquire,  Has  any  one  been 
improved  by  our  conversation  ?  Will  any  one  think 
the  better  of  Christ  from  what  they  have  heard  or 
seen  in  us?  Or  have  we  been  among  men  merely 
as  men  of  the  world :  and  might  they  not  say  of  us, 


372  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

What  do  you  more  than  others  ?  He  who  possesses 
much  religion  will  impart  more  or  less  of  it  to  those 
about  him ;  he  will  not  make  a  show  of  it,  yet  it  must 
be  seen.  There  is  that  in  the  temper,  and  daily  con- 
versation of  a  man  of  genuine  piety,  which  indicates 
that  he  has  been  with  Jesus.  The  modesty  of  his 
countenance,  the  meekness  and  cheerfulness  of  his 
disposition,  the  sweet  familiarity  and  seriousness  of 
his  intercourse  with  men,  enliven  the  circle  in  which 
he  moves,  and  recommend  the  religion  which  he  pro- 


PRACTICAL  IMPROVEMENT.  373 


CHAPTEK    XY. 

PRACTICAL  IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE  SUBJECT. 

That  great  numbers  of  people,  even  in  this  Chris- 
tianized country,  are  ignorant  of  the  way  of  salvation, 
is  too  evident  to  be  denied.  It  is  manifestly  no  part 
of  their  concern,  any  more  than  if  they  were  in  no 
danger  of  being  lost,  or  there  had  never  been  such  a 
thing  as  salvation  heard  of.  Nor  is  this  true  only  of 
weak  and  illiterate  people:  men  who  in  all  other 
concerns  are  wise,  in  these  things  have  no  knowledge 
or  sense  to  direct  them.  The  evil,  therefore,  cannot 
be  ascribed  to  simple  ignorance,  which,  as  far  as  it 
goes,  tends  to  excuse ;  but  to  be  willingly  ignorant — 
saying  unto  God,  "  Depart  from  us ;  we  desire  not  the 
knowledge  of  thy  ways." 

God,  however,  has  a  witness  in  every  man's  con- 
science. Every  man,  whatever  he  may  pretend,  feels 
himself  to  be  a  sinner,  and  to  need  forgiveness.  Igno- 
rant and  idolatrous  as  the  Philippian  jailer  had  been 
all  his  life,  yet  when  death  looked  him  in  the  face  he 
trembled  and  cried  for  mercy.  And  if  it  were  thus 
with  the  heathen,  much  more  with  those  who  have 
been  educated  under  the  light  of  revelation.  The 
most  careless  and  thoughtless  cannot  stand  the  ap- 
proach of  death.  The  courage  of  the  most  hardened 
infidel  commonly  fails  him  at  that  solemn  period. 


374  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

Reader,  are  you  one  of  the  many  who  scarcely  ever 
think  of  these  things;  and  whose  chief  concern  is 
what  you  shall  eat,  what  you  shall  drink,  and  where- 
withal you  shall  be  clothed?  Let  the  anxiety  of  a 
heathen  reprove  you. 

IJ]  like  other  animals^  you  were  made  only  to  eat  and 
drink  y  and  figure  away  for  a  few  years,  and  then  to  sink 
into  nothing,  you  might  well  throw  aside;  every  care, 
except  that  which  respects  your  present  gratification. 
But  you  are  of  an  order  of  beings  distinguished  from 
all  others  in  the  creation.  In  your  nature  is  united 
mortality  and  immortality;  the  dust  of  the  ground 
and  the  breath  of  the  Almighty.  Life  to  you  is  but 
the  introduction  to  existence,  a  short  voyage  which 
will  land  you  on  the  shores  of  eternity.  You  are  sur- 
rounded by  a  number  of  objects,  and  feel  an  interest 
in  each.  You  build  houses,  plant  orchards,  rear  ani- 
mals, and  form,  to  yourselves  a  home,  but  you  are  not 
at  home.  Your  feelings  associate  with  these  things, 
but  they  are  not  fit  associates  for  you.  You  may  have 
a  portion  in  all  that  is  doing  in  your  family,  and  in 
your  country ;  yea,  in  some  degree,  in  all  that  is  done 
under  the  sun ;  but  this  is  not  sufficient  for  you.  The 
time  draweth  nigh  when  there  will  be  an  end  to  all 
these  things,  and  they  will  be  as  though  they  had  not 
been ;  but  you  will  still  live.  You  will  witness  the 
wreck  of  nature  itself,  and  survive  it ;  and  stand  before 
the  Son  of  man  at  his  appearing  and  kingdom.  Can 
you  think  of  these  things  and  be  unconcerned? 

Or,  though  you  be  an  immortal  and  accountable 
creature,  as  your  conscience  tells  you  you  are  whenever 
you  consult  it,  and  sometimes  when  you  would  gladly 


PRACTICAL  IMPROVEMENT.  375 

shut  your  ears  against  it,  yet,  if  ymi  had  not  sinned 
against  your  Maker,  there  would  be  no  cause  for 
alarm.  A  sinless  creature  has  nothing  to  fear  from  a 
righteous  God.  The  approach  of  an  assize,  with  all 
its  solemn  pomp,  does  not  terrify  the  innocent ;  nei- 
ther would  judgment  or  eternity  inspire  the  least 
degree  of  dread,  if  you  were  guiltless.  But  you  are 
a  sinner,  a  corrupt  branch  of  a  corrupt  stock.  God 
placed,  as  I  may  say,  a  generous  confidence  in  our 
species,  and  required  nothing  in  return  but  love ;  but 
we  have  returned  him  evil  for  good.  You,  for  your- 
self, are  conscious  that  you  have  done  so,  and  that  it 
is  in  your  very  nature  to  do  evil. 

Or,  though  you  are  what  is  called  a  sinner,  yet, 
if  sin  were  your  misfortune  rather  than  ymir  faiiM,  you 
might  fly  for  refuge  to  the  equity  of  your  Maker.' 
But  this  is  not  the  case.  Whatever  may  be  said  as 
to  the  manner  in  which  you  became  a  sinner,  and  how- 
ever you  may  wish  to  excuse  yourself  on  that  ground, 
your  own  conscience  bears  witness  that  what  you  are 
you  choose  to  be,  and  occasionally  reproaches  you  for 
being  so.  You  may  speculate  upon  sin  as  a  kind  of 
hereditary  disease,  which  is  merely  a  misfortune,  not 
a  fault  J  but  if  so,  why  do  you  feel  guilt  on  account 
of  it,  any  more  than  of  the  other  ?  Why  do  you  not 
also  acquit  others  of  blame,  where  the  evil  is  directed 
against  you  ?  You  do  not  think  of  excusing  a  fellow- 
creature  when  he  injures  you,  upon  any  such  grounds 
as  you  allege  in  excuse  of  transgression  against  God. 
If  the  party  be  rational  and  voluntary,  you  make  no 
further  inquiry,  but  without  any  hesitation  pronounce 
him  criminal.    Out  of  your  own  mouth  therefore  shall 


376  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

you  be  judged.  The  inability  that  you  feel  to  do  good 
is  entirely  owing  to  your  having  no  heart  to  it.  It  is 
of  the  same  nature  as  that  of  an  unprincipled  servant, 
who  cannot  seek  his  master's  interest,  but  is  impelled 
by  his  selfishness  to  be  always  defrauding  him.  You 
would  not  hold  such  a  servant  blameless,  nor  will  God 
hold  you  so.  You  are  not  destitute  of  those  powers 
which  render  us  accountable  beings,  but  merely  of  a 
heart  to  make  use  of  them  for  God.  You  take  pleas- 
ure in  knowledge,  but  desire  not  the  knowledge  of  his 
ways — ^in  conversation,  but  the  mention  of  serious 
religion  strikes  you  dumb — in  activity,  but  in  his  ser- 
vice you  are  as  one  that  is  dead.  You  are  fond  of 
news,  but  that  which  angels  announced,  and  the  Son 
of  God  came  down  to  publish,  gives  you  no  pleasure. 
Xll  these  things  prove,  beyond  a  doubt,  where  the 
inability  lies. 

Or,  if  sin  should  be  allowed  to  be  your  fault,  yet, 
if  it  were  a  smaU  offence,  an  imperfection  that  might 
be  overlooked,  or  so  slight  a  matter  that  you  could 
atone  for  it  by  repentance,  prayers,  or  tears,  or  any 
effort  of  your  own,  there  might  be  less  reason  for  alarm  j 
but  neither  is  this  the  case.  If  sin  were  so  light  a 
matter  as  it  is  commonly  made,  how  is  it  that  a  train 
of  the  most  awful  curses  should  be  denounced  against 
the  sinner  ?  Is  it  possible  that  a  just  and  good  Being 
would  curse  his  creatures  in  basket  and  in  store,  in 
their  houses  and  in  their  fields,  in  their  lying  down 
and  rising  up,  and  in  all  that  they  set  their  hands  to, 
for  a  mere  trifle,  or  an  imperfection  that  might  be 
overlooked  ?  If  sin  were  a  light  thing,  how  is  it  that 
the  Father  of  mercies  should  have  doomed  all  man- 


PRACTICAL  IMPROVEMENT.  377 

kind  to  death,  and  to  all  the  miseries  that  prepare  its 
way,  on  account  of  it  ?  How  is  it  that  wicked  men 
die  under  such  fearful  apprehensions?  Above  all, 
how  is  it  that  it  should  require  the  eternal  Son  of 
God  to  become  incarnate,  and  to  be  made  a  sacrifice, 
to  atone  for  it?  But  if  sin  be  thus  offensive  to  God, 
then  are  you  in  a  fearful  situation.  If  you  had  the 
whole  world  to  offer  for  your  ranson,  and  could  shed 
rivers  of  tears,  and  give  even  the  fruit  of  your  body 
for  the  sin  of  your  soul,  it  would  be  of  no  account. 
Were  that  which  you  offered  ever  so  pure,  it  could 
have  no  influence  whatever  towards  atoning  for  your 
past  guilt,  any  more  than  the  tears  of  a  murderer  can 
atone  for  blood ;  but  this  is  not  the  case :  those  very 
performances  by  which  you  hope  to  appease  the  divine 
anger,  are  more  offensive  to  him  than  the  entreaties 
of  a  detected  adulteress  would  be  to  her  husband, 
while  her  heart,  as  he  well  knows,  is  not  with  him, 
but  with  her  paramours.  You  are,  whether  you  know 
it  or  not,  a  hst  sinner,  and  that  in  the  strongest  sense 
of  the  term.  Men  judge  of  sin  only  by  its  open  acts, 
but  God  looketh  directly  at  the  heart.  Their  cen- 
sures fall  only  on  particular  branches  of  immorality, 
which  strike  immediately  at  the  well-being  of  society ; 
but  God  views  the  root  of  the  mischief,  and  takes  into 
consideration  all  its  mischievous  bearings.  "Know 
therefore  and  see  that  it  is  an  evil  thing  and  bitter, 
that  thou  hast  forsaken  the  living  God,  and  that  my 
fear  is  not  in  thee,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts." 

Finally,  though  your  sin  be  exceedingly  offensive 
to  your  Creator,  and  though  you  can  make  no  atone- 
ment for  it,  yet,  if  you  could  resist  his  power,  escape  his 


378  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

hand^  or  endure  his  wrath,  your  unconcernedness  might 
admit  of  some  kind  of  apology.  Surely  I  need  not 
prove  to  you  that  you  cannot  resist  his  power  :  what 
is  your  strength  when  tried  ?  You  may  in  the  hour  of 
health  and  festivity,  and  when  in  company  with  others 
like  yourself,  look  great,  and  utter  great  words,  but 
they  are  words  only.  If  God  do  but  touch  you  with 
his  afflicting  hand,  your  strength  and  your  courage 
instantly  forsake  you  :  and  will  you  go  on  to  provoke 
Omnipotence  ?  "  If  thou  hast  run  with  the  footmen, 
and  they  have  wearied  thee,  how  wilt  thou  contend 
with  horses  ?  If  in  the  land  of  peace  thou  hast  been 
overcome,  how  wilt  thou  do  in  the  swellings  of  Jor- 
dan ?"  Neither  canst  thou  "  escape "  his  hand ;  for 
whither  wilt  thou  flee?  If  attentive  to  thy  safety, 
the  rocks  could  fall  on  thee,  or  the  mountains  cover 
thee,  yet  should  they  not  be  able  to  hide  thee  "  from 
the  face  of  Him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  from 
the  wrath  of  the  Lamb."  God  hath  beset  thee  behind 
and  before,  and  laid  his  hand  upon  thee.  Whither 
wilt  thou  go  from  his  Spirit  ?  Whither  wilt  thou  flee 
from  his  presence?  If  thou  ascend  to  heaven,  he  is 
there  ;  or  if  thou  make  thy  bed  in  hell,  behold,  he  is 
there.  The  only  question  that  remains  is,  whether  you 
can  "  endure  his  displeasure."  And  this  must  surely 
be  a  forlorn  hope.  By  the  horrid  imprecations  which 
we  so  commonly  hear  from  hardened  sinners,  who  call 
upon  God  to  damn  their  bodies  and  souls,  it  would 
seem  as  if  they  laid  their  account  with  damnation,  and 
wished  to  familiarize  it ;  as  if  they  had  made  a  cove- 
nant with  death,  and  with  hell  were  at  agreement : 
but  when  God  shall  lay  judgment  to  the  line,  and 


PRACTICAL  IMPROVEMENT.  379 

righteousness  to  the  plummet,  these  refuges  of  lies 
will  suddenly  be  swept  away. 

Reader,  "  Can  thy  heart  endure,  and  thy  hands  be 
strong,  in  the  day  that  He  shall  deal  with  thee?" 
Think  of  the  "  wrath  to  come."  If  it  were  founded 
in  caprice  or  injustice,  supported  by  conscious  inno- 
cence you  might  possibly  bear  it;  but  should  you 
perish,  you  will  be  destitute  of  this.  Conscience  will 
certainly  say  Amen  to  the  justice  of  your  sufferings. 
If  you  had  mere  justice  done  you,  unmixed  with  mercy, 
your  sufferings  would  be  more  tolerable  than  they  will 
be.  If  you  perish,  you  must  have  your  portion  with 
Bethsaida  and  Chorazin.  Goodness  gives  an  edge 
to  justice.  The  displeasure  of  a  kind  and  merciful 
being,  and  such  is  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb,  is  insup- 
portable. 

If  after  having  heard  these  things,  and  lived  in  a 
country  where  they  are  fully  declared,  you  do  not  feel 
interested  by  them,  you  have  reason  to  fear  that  God 
has  given  you  up  to  hardness  of  heart,  and  that  that 
language  is  fulfilled  in  you :  "  Go  unto  this  people, 
and  say.  Hearing  ye  shall  hear,  and  not  understand ; 
and  seeing  ye  shall  see,  and  not  perceive:  for  the 
heart  of  this  people  is  waxed  gross,  and  their  ears  are 
dull  of  hearing,  and  their  eyes  have  they  closed ;  lest 
they  should  see  with  their  eyes,  and  hear  with  their 
ears,  and  understand  with  their  heart,  and  should  be 
converted,  and  I  should  heal  them."  Remember  that 
in  Old  Testament  times,  when  God  blessed  his  people 
Israel  with  singular  temporal  blessings,  he  punished 
their  transgressions  chiefly  by  temporal  judgments; 
but  now  that  we  are  favored  with  singular  spiritual 


380  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

privileges,  the  neglect  of  them  is  commonly  punished 
with  spiritual  judgments. 

But  whether  you  will  hear,  or  whether  you  will 
forbear,  I  will  declare  unto  you  the  only  way  of  sal- 
vation. That  which  was  addressed  to  the  Philippian 
jailer  is  addressed  to  you.  "  God  hath  so  loved  the 
world  as  to  give  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whoso- 
ever believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  ever- 
lasting life."  He  has  given  him  not  only  to  teach  us 
the  good  and  the  right  way,  but  to  be  made  a  sacrifice 
for  sin,  and  as  such  to  be  himself  the  way.  He  suf- 
fered from  the  hands  of  wicked  men;  but  this  was 
not  all:  "It  pleased  the  Lord  to  bruise  him.  He 
hath  put  him  to  grief,"  and  made  "  his  soul  an  offering 
for  sin."  He  commanded  his  sword  to  awake  against 
him,  that  through  his  death  he  might  turn  his  hand  in 
mercy  towards  perishing  sinners.  He  hath  set  him 
forth  "  to  be  a  propitiation  to  declare  his  righteousness ; 
that  he  might  be  just,  and  the  justifier  of  him  that  be- 
lieveth in  Jesus."  This  is  the  only  sacrifice  which  is 
well-pleasing  to  God.  All  that  went  before  were  of 
no  account,  but  as  they  pointed  to  it;  and  all  the 
prayers  and  praises  of  sinful  creatures  are  no  other- 
wise acceptable  than  as  presented  through  it.  It 
is  not  for  you  to  go  about  to  appease  the  divine  dis- 
pleasure, or  to  recommend  yourself  to  the  Saviour 
by  any  efforts  of  your  own ;  but,  despairing  of  help 
from  every  other  quarter,  to  receive  the  atonement 
which  Christ  hath  made.  To  this  you  are  invited, 
and  that  in  the  most  pressing  terms.  He  who  made 
Him  to  be  sin  for  us  who  knew  no  sin,  that  we  might 
be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him,  hath  on  this 


PRACTICAL  IMPROVEMENT.  381 

ground  committed  to  his  servants  the  ministry  of  rec- 
onciliation ;  and  they  as  ambassadors  for  Christ,  as 
though  God  did  beseech  you  by  them,  "  pray  you,  in 
Christ's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God." 

The  blessings  of  pardon,  peace,  and  eternal  life  are 
compared  to  a  feast  or  marriage-supper,  which  the 
King  of  heaven  and  earth  hath  made  for  his  Son ;  and 
he  hath  commanded  his  servants  to  go  forth,  as  to  the 
highways  and  hedges,  and  to  invite  without  distinc- 
tion, yea,  to  "  compel  them  to  come  in."  Nor  is  this 
all ;  you  are  exhorted  and  commanded  to  believe  in 
Christ,  on  pain  of  damnation.  All  your  other  sins 
expose  you  merely  to  the  curse  of  the  law ;  but  the 
sin  of  unbelief,  if  persisted  in,  will  expose  you,  like 
the  barren  fig-tree,  to  the  curse  of  the  Saviour,  from 
which  there  is  no  redemption. 

Say  not  in  thy  heart,  All  these  things  I  have  be- 
lieved from  my  youth  up.  You  may  indeed  have  been 
taught  them,  and  have  received  them  as  a  tradition 
from  your  fathers ;  but  such  faith  is  dead,  and  conse- 
quently inoperative.  It  is  the  same  as  that  of  the 
Jews  towards  Moses,  which  our  Saviour  would  not 
admit  to  be  faith.  "  If  ye  believed  Moses,"  saith  he, 
"  ye  would  believe  me,  for  he  wrote  of  me."  It  is  no 
better  than  the  faith  of  devils,  and  in  some  respects 
has  less  influence,  for  they  believe  and  tremble; 
whereas  you  believe  and  are  at  ease. 

But  it  may  be  you  will  say,  I  have  examined  Chris- 
tianity for  myself,  and  am  fully  persuaded  it  is  true. 
Yet  it  has  no  effect  upon  you,  any  more  than  if  you 
disbelieved  it,  unless  it  be  to  restrain  you  within  the 
limits  of  exterior  decorum.  Your  faith,  therefore,  must 


382  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

still  be  "  dead,  being  alone."  Believing  in  Christ  is 
not  the  exercise  of  a  mind  at  ease,  casting  up  the  evi- 
dence for  and  against,  and  then  coldly  assenting,  as  in 
a  question  of  science,  to  that  side  which  seems  to  have 
the  greatest  weight  of  proof.  To  one  whose  mind  is 
subdued  to  the  obedience  of  faith,  there  is  indeed  no 
want  of  evidence ;  but  it  is  not  so  much  from  external 
proofs  as  from  its  own  intrinsic  glory,  and  suitableness 
to  his  case  as  a  perishing  sinner,  that  he  feels  himself 
impelled  to  receive  it.  The  gospel  is  too  interesting, 
and  has  too  much  influence  on  our  past  and  future 
conduct,  to  be  an  object  of  unfeeling  speculation.  It 
is  a  "hope  set  before  us,"  which  none  but  those  who 
are  "  ready  to  perish  "  will  ever  embrace.  To  believe 
it,  is  to  renounce  our  own  wisdom,  our  own  righteous- 
ness, and  our  own  will,  each  of  which  is  directly  op- 
posed to  it,  and  to  fall  into  the  arms  of  mere  grace, 
through  the  atoning  blood  of  the  cross.  If  the  good 
news  of  salvation  be  not  in  this  manner  believed,  it 
signifies  but  little  what  speculative  notiwis  we  may 
entertain  concerning  it ;  for  where  there  is  no  renun- 
ciation of  self,  there  is  no  dependence  upon  Christ  for 
justification ;  and  where  there  is  no  such  dependence, 
there  is  no  revealed  interest  in  that  important  bless- 
ing ;  but  the  curses  and  threateniugs  of  God  stand  in 
all  their  force  against  us. 

If  after  all  your  examinations  you  continue  to 
make  light  of  the  gospel  feast,  and  prefer  your  farm, 
merchandise,  or  any  thing  else  before  it,  you  will  be 
found  to  have  no  part  in  it.  Yet  be  it  known  unto 
you  that  the  feast  shall  not  be  unattended.  Heaven 
shall  not  go  without  inhabitants,  nor  Christ  without 


PRACTICAL  IMPROVEMENT.  383 

reward,  whether  you  are  saved  or  lost.  The  Stone 
set  at  naught  by  man  is  nevertheless  "  the  Head  of 
the  corner." 

Had  the  question,  proposed  by  the  Philippian 
jailer  to  the  apostles  Paul  and  Silas,  "Sirs,  what  must 
I  do  to  be  saved  ?"  been  addressed  to  the  first  genius 
upon  earth  unacquainted  with  the  gospel,  it  could  not 
have  been  answered.  Had  it  been  proposed  to  all  the 
great  philosophers  of  antiquity  one  by  one,  and  to  all 
the  learned  doctors  among  the  Jews,  none  of  them  could 
have  resolved  it  to  any  good  purpose.  Nor,  amidst  all 
the  boasted  light  of  modern  times,  can  a  single  unbe- 
liever be  found  who  would  know  what  to  do  with  it. 
Yet  it  is  a  question  which  arises  in  almost  every  man's 
mind  at  one  period  or  other  of  his  life,  and  a  question 
that  must  be  answered,  or  we  are  lost  for  ever. 

Reader,  is  it  possible  this  important  question  has 
already  occupied  your  mind  ?  An  alarming  sermon, 
a  death  in  your  family,  a  hint  from  a  faithful  friend, 
or  it  may  be  an  impressive  dream,  has  awakened  your 
attention.  You  cannot  take  pleasure  as  formerly  in 
worldly  company  and  pursuits,  yet  you  have  no  pleas- 
ure in  religion.  You  have  left  off  many  vices,  and 
have  complied  with  many  religious  duties,  but  can 
find  no  rest  for  your  soul.  The  remembrance  of  the 
past  is  bitter ;  the  prospect  of  the  future  may  be  more 
so.  The  thoughts  of  God  trouble  you.  You  have 
even  wished  that  you  had  never  been  born,  or  that 
you  could  now  shrink  back  into  non-existence,  or  that 
you  were  any  thing  rather  than  a  man.  But  you  are 
aware  that  all  these  wishes  are  vain.  You  do  exist ; 
your  nature  is  stamped  wifh  immortality;  you  must 


384  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

go  forward  and  die,  and  stand  before  this  holy  Lord 
God. 

If  these  or  such  like  exercises  occupy  your  mind, 
the  question  of  the  Philippian  jailer  is  yours ;  and  to 
you  let  me  address  a  few  directions  included  or  im- 
plied in  the  answer. 

If  by  this  question  you  mean,  "What  can  you  do  to 
appease  the  wrath  of  God,  or  recommend  yourself  as 
a  fit  object  of  his  mercy  ?  What  can  you  do  as  a 
good  deed,  or  the  beginning  of  a  course  of  good  deeds, 
in  reward  of  which  he  may  bestow  upon  you  an  inter- 
est in  the  Saviour  ?  I  answer,  nothing.  An  interest 
in  Christ  and  eternal  life  is  indeed  given  as  a  reward, 
but  not  of  any  thing  we  have  done,  or  can  do ;  no,  not 
even  by  divine  assistance;  it  is  the  reward  of  the 
obedience  of  Christ  unto  death.  To  us  it  is  of  mere 
grace,  and  as  such  must  be  received.  Faith,  though  in 
itself  a  holy  exercise  of  the  mind,  yet,  as  that  by  which 
we  are  justified,  is  directly  opposed  to  doing.  "  To  him 
that  worketh  is  the  reward  not  reckoned  of  grace,  but 
of  debt ;  but  to  him  that  worketh  not,  but  believeth 
on  Him  that  justifieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted 
for  righteousness."  He  who  worketh  seeks  to  obtain 
life  and  the  favor  of  God  in  some  way  or  other  as  a 
reward ;  but  he  that  believeth  receives  it  as  a  free 
gift  to  the  unworthy.  And  let  me  apprise  you  that 
this  is  the  state  of  mind  you  must  be  brought  to,  or 
you  must  perish  for  ever.  So  far  as  you  think  of  do- 
ing any  thing,  call  it  what  you  may,  with  a  hope  of 
being  pardoned  and  justified  for  its  sake,  so  far  you 
reject  the  only  way  of  salvation,  and  have  reason  to 
expect  your  portion  with  unbelievers. 


PRACTICAL  IMPROVEMENT.  385 

Let  me  deal  freely  with  you.  Yours  is  a  most 
serious  situation.  The  gospel  rest  is  before  you; 
and  if  you  enter  not  in,  it  will  be  because  of  unbelief. 
You  know  the  answer  given  to  the  jailer ;  and  this  is 
the  only  answer  tliat  can  with  safety  be  given  to  you. 
Consider  and  beware,  as  you  regard  your  eternal  sal- 
vation, that  you  take  up  your  rest  in  nothing  short 
of  it. 

But,  in  the  first  place,  let  me  declare  unto  you  the 
gospel  of  God,  which  you  are  directed  to  believe.  If 
this  meet  your  case ;  if  rightly  understood ;  if  it  ap- 
prove itself  not  only  to  your  conscience,  but  your  whole 
soul ;  if  it  accord  with  your  desires,  as  it  undoubtedly 
does  with  your  necessities,  all  is  well,  and  well  for 
ever.  I  shall  not  trouble  you  with  the  opinions  of 
men  as  to  what  the  gospel  is,  nor  even  with  my  own, 
but  direct  you  to  the  accounts  given  of  it  by  Him 
whose  it  is.  The  New  Testament  abounds  with  epit- 
omes, or  brief  descriptions  of  it,  delivered  in  such 
plain  and  pointed  language  that  he  who  runs  may 
read  it.  Such  are  the  following :  "  God  so  loved  the 
world  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  who- 
soever believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life."  "  Moreover,  brethren,  I  declare  unto 
you  the  gospel  which  I  preached  unto  you,  which  also 
ye  have  received,  and  wherein  ye  stand;  by  which 
also  ye  are  saved,  if  ye  keep  in  memory  what  I 
preached  unto  you,  unless  ye  have  believed  in  vain. 
For  I  delivered  unto  you,  first  of  all,  that  which  I 
also  received,  how  that  Christ  died  for  our  sins  ac- 
cording to  the  Scriptures;  and  that  he  was  buried, 
and  that  he  rose  again  the  third  day,  according  to  the 

Atonement.  17 


386  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

Scriptures."  "  This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy 
of  all  acceptation,  that  Jesus  Christ  came  into  the 
world  to  save  sinners ;  of  whom  I  am  chief."  "  We 
preach  Christ  crucified."  "  I  determined  not  to  know 
any  thing  among  you,  save  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  cru- 
cified." "  This  is  the  record,  that  God  hath  given  to 
us  eternal  life,  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son." 

It  is  not  meant,  by  these  brief  descriptions  of  the 
gospel,  that  there  is  no  other  truth  necessary  to  be 
believed ;  but  that  the  doctrine  of  the  cross,  properly 
embraced,  includes  all  others,  or  draws  after  it  the 
belief  of  them. 

The  import  of  this  gospel  is,  that  God  is  in  the 
right,  and  we  are  in  the  wrong ;  that  we  have  trans- 
gressed against  him  without  cause,  and  are  justly 
exposed  to  everlasting  punishment ;  that  mercy,  orig- 
inating purely  in  himself,  required  for  the  due  honor 
of  his  government  to  be  exercised  through  the  atone- 
ment of  his  beloved  Son ;  that  with  this  sacrifice  God 
is  well  pleased,  and  can,  consistently  with  all  his  per- 
fections, pardon  and  accept  of  any  sinner,  whatever 
he  hath  done,  who  believeth  in  him. 

What  say  you  to  this  ?  The  truth  of  it  has  been 
confirmed  by  the  most  unquestionable  proofs.  It  first 
began  to  be  spoken  by  the  Lord  himself,  and  has  been 
confirmed  unto  us  by  them  that  heard  him ;  God  also 
bearing  them  witness,  with  signs  and  wonders,  and 
divers  miracles.  The  witness  of  the  three  in  heaven, 
the  Father,  the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  borne 
to  this ;  namely,  that  "  God  hath  given  to  us  eternal 
life,  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son;"  and  to  this  also  is 
directed  the  witness  of  the  three  on  earth,  the  spirit, 


PRACTICAL  IMPROVEMENT.  387 

and  the  water,  and  the  blood.  Can  you  subscribe  to 
this  truth  in  all  its  bearings,  and  rest  the  salvation  of 
your  soul  upon  it  ?  or  do  you  doubt  whether  you  are 
so  guilty,  so  helpless,  and  in  so  dangerous  a  state  as 
this  doctrine  supposes  ?  Is  it  as  one  of  the  chief  of 
sinners  that  you  view  yourself?  or  does  it  grate  with 
your  feelings  to  receive  forgiveness  in  that  humble 
character?  In  suing  for  mercy,  are  you  content  to 
stand  on  the  same  low  ground  as  if  you  were  a  con- 
vict actually  going  to  be  executed  ?  or  does  your  heart 
secretly  pine  after  a  salvation  less  humiliating,  in 
which  some  account  might  be  made  of  that  difference 
of  character  by  which  you  may  have  been  distin- 
guished from  the  vilest  of  men,  and  in  which  you 
might  be  somewhat  of  a  cooperator  with  God  ?  Does 
that  which  pleases  God  please  you?  or  does  your 
mind  revolt  at  it  ?  It  meets  all  your  wants  ;  but  not 
one  of  your  prejudices,  proud  thoughts,  or  vicious 
propensities :  all  these  must  come  down,  and  be 
made  a  sacrifice  to  it.  Can  you  subscribe  it  on  these 
terms  ? 

I  am  well  aware  that  the  great  concern  of  per- 
sons in  your  situation  is  to  obtain  peace  of  mind; 
and  any  thing  which  promises  to  afford  this  attracts 
your  attention.  If  this  gospel  be  believed  with  all 
your  heart,  it  will  give  you  peace.  This  is  the  good, 
and  the  old  way :  walk  in  it,  and  you  will  find  rest 
for  your  soul ;  but  it  is  not  every  thing  which  prom- 
ises peace  that  will  ultimately  afford  it.  It  is  at  our 
peril  to  offer  you  other  consolation,  and  at  yours  to 
receive  it. 

Consider  and  beware,  I  say  again,  as  you  regard 


DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

your  eternal  salvation,  that  you  take  up  your  rest  in 
nothing  short  of  Christ.  Allow  me  to  suggest  a  few 
serious  cautions  against  some  of  your  principal  dan- 
gers. 

First,  beware  of  brooding  over  your  guilt  in  a  way  of 
unbelieving  despondency,  and  so  standing  aloof  from  the 
hope  of  mercy.  Say  not,  My  sins  have  been  too  great, 
too  numerous,  or  too  aggravated  to  be  forgiven.  "  The 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his  Son  cleanseth  us  from  aU 
sin :"  believest  thou  this  ?  You  are  not  straitened  in 
him,  but  in  your  own  selves.  God's  thoughts  are  not 
as  your  thoughts,  nor  his  ways  as  your  ways :  as  the 
heavens  are  higher  than  the  earth,  so  are  his  thoughts 
higher  than  your  thoughts,  and  his  ways  than  your 
ways.  On  the  sinner  who  returns  to  our  God  he 
bestows  abundant  pardon.  It  is  not.  If  thou  canst  do 
any  thing,  help  me ;  but,  "  If  thou  canst  believe — all 
things  are  possible  to  him  that  believeth."  Of  what 
dost  thou  doubt — of  his  all-sufficiency  ?  "  He  is  able 
to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  that  come  unto  God  by 
him."  Of  his  willingness  ?  Ought  not  his  gracious 
invitations  to  satisfy  thee  on  this  head?  Can  you 
imagine  that  he  would  proclaim,  saying.  Whosoever 
thirsteth,  let  him  come  unto  me  and  drink,  and  yet  be 
reluctant  to  gratify  the  desires  of  those  who  come  to 
him  ?  Objections  on  the  ground  of  the  greatness  of 
guilt  and  unworthiness  may  seem  to  wear  the  face  of 
humility;  but,  after  all,  it  becomes  you  to  consider 
whether  they  are  any  other  than  the  workings  of  a 
self-righteous  spirit.  If  you  could  find  in  your  heart 
to  accept  of  mercy  as  one  of  the  chief  of  sinners,  all 
your  objections  would  vanish  in  a  moment.     One  sees 


PRACTICAL  IMPROVEMENT.  389 

in  your  very  tears  of  despondency  a  pining  after  ac- 
ceptance with  God  by  something  in  yourself.  Were 
they  put  into  words,  they  would  amount  to  something 
like  this :  If  I  had  but  somewhat  to  recommend  me  to 
the  Saviour,  I  could  go  to  him  with  assurance ;  or,  if 
I  had  been  less  wicked,  I  might  hope  for  acceptance. 
And  what  is  this  but  confirming  the  complaint  of  our 
Saviour  ?  "  Ye  will  not  come  to  me,  that  ye  might 
have  life."  Such  longing  after  something  to  recom- 
mend you  to  the  Saviour,  is  no  other  than  "  going 
about  to  establish  your  own  righteousness ;  and  while 
this  is  the  case,  there  is  great  danger  of  your  being 
given  up  to  imagine  that  you  find  the  worthiness  in 
yourself  which  your  soul  desireth. 

Secondly,  beware  of  dwelling  in  a  way  of  self-compla- 
cency on  those  reformations  which  may  have  been  produced 
by  the  power  of  conviction.  This  is  another  of  those 
workings  of  unbelief  by  which  many  have  come  short 
of  believing,  and  so  of  entering  into  rest.  There  is  no 
doubt  but  your  convictions  have  driven  you  from  the 
commission  of  grosser  vices,  and  probably  have  fright- 
ened you  into  a  compliance  with  various  religious 
duties;  but  these  are  only  the  loppings-off  of  the 
branches  of  sin :  the  root  remains  unmortified.  It  is 
not  the  breaking  off  of  your  sins  that  will  turn  to  any 
account,  unless  they  are  broken  off  by  righteoicsness ; 
.and  this  will  not  be  the  case  but  by  believing  in 
Christ.  The  power  of  corruption  may  have  only 
'retired  into  its  strong-holds,  from  whence,  if  you  em- 
brace not  the  gospel  way  of  salvation,  it  will  soon 
come  forth  with  increased  energy,  and  sweep  away 

all  your  cobweb  reformations.    Nay,  it  is  very  pos- 

17* 


390  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

sible,  that  while  the  "lusts  of  the  flesh"  have  seemed 
to  recede,  those  of  the  mind,  particularly  spiritual 
pride,  may  have  already  increased  in  strength.  If 
indeed  you  dwell  on  your  reformations,  and  draw 
comfort  from  them,  it  is  an  undoubted  proof  that  it 
is  so ;  and  then,  instead  of  being  reformed,  or  nearer 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  than  you  were  before,  your 
character  is  more  offensive  to  God  than  ever.  Publi- 
cans and  harlots  are  more  likely  to  enter  into  it  than 
you.  Besides,  if  your  reformations  were  ever  so  vir- 
tuous, which  they  are  not,  in  His  sight  by  whom  actions 
are  weighed,  yet,  while  you  are  an  unbeliever  they 
cannot  be  accepted.  You  yourself  must  first  be  ac- 
cepted in  the  Beloved,  before  any  thing  that  you  offer 
can  be  received.  "  It  does  not  consist  with  the  honor  of 
the  majesty  of  the  King  of  heaven  and  earth  to  accept 
of  any  thing  from  a  condemned  malefactor,  condemned 
by  the  justice  of  his  own  holy  law,  till  that  condem- 
nation be  removed." 

Thirdly,  beware  of  deriving  comfort  from  the  distress 
of  mind  which  you  may  have  undergone,  or  from  any  feel- 
ings within  you.  Some  religious  people  may  tell  you 
that  these  workings  of  mind  are  a  sign  that  God  has 
mercy  in  reserve  for  yojj,  and  that  if  you  go  on  in  the 
way  you  are  in,  waiting  as  at  the  pool,  all  will  be  well 
in  the  end ;  but  do  not  you  believe  them.  They  have 
no  warrant  for  what  they  say.  It  is  not  your  being 
distressed  in  mind  that  will  prove  any  thing  in  your 
favor,  but  the  issue  of  it.  Saul  was  distressed,  as. 
well  as  Davi(i ;  and  Judas,  as  well  as  Peter.  When 
the  murderers  of  our  Lord  were  pricked  in  their 
hearts,  Peter  did  not  comfort  them  by  representing 


PRACTICAL  IMPROVEMENT.  391 

this  their  unhappiness  as  a  hopeful  sign  of  conversion ; 
but  exhorted  them  to  repent  and  be  baptized,  every 
one  of  them,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  the 
remission  of  sins.  And  thus  it  was  with  Paul  and 
Silas,  when  the  jailer  was  impressed  with  fear  and 
dismay  ;  they  gave  him  no  encouragement  from  thence, 
but  preached  Jesus  Christ  as  the  only  source  of  hope. 
If  one  who  had  slain  a  man  in  Israel  had  stopped 
short  of  the  city  of  refuge,  and  endeavored  to  draw 
comfort  from  the  alarm  which  he  had  felt  lest  the 
avenger  of  blood  should  overtake  him,  would  he  have 
been  safe  ?  There  is  no  security  to  you,  or  to  any 
man,  but  in  fleeing  immediately  to  the  gospel  refuge, 
and  laying  hold  of  the  hope  set  before  you.  If  you 
take  comfort  from  your  distress,  you  are  in  imminent 
danger  of  stopping  short  of  Christ,  and  so  of  perish- 
ing for  ever.  Many,  no  doubt,  have  done  so ;  and 
that  which  they  have  accounted  waiting  at  the  pool 
for  the  moving  of  the  waters,  has  proved  no  other 
than  settling  upon  a  false  foundation.  Indeed,  it  must 
needs  be  so ;  for  as  there  is  no  medium  in  one  that 
has  heard  the  gospel,  between  faith  and  unbelief,  he 
who  does  not  believe  in  Jesus  for  salvation,  if  he  have 
any  hope  of  it,  must  derive  that  hope  from  something 
in  himself. 

Fourthly,  beware  of  making  faith  itself,  as  an  act  of 
yours,  the  ground  of  acceptance  with  God.  It  is  true 
that  believing  is  an  act  of  yours,  and  an  act  of  obedi- 
ence to  God.  Far  be  it  from  me  that  I  should  con- 
vey an  idea  of  any  thing  short  of  a  cordial  reception 
of  the  gospel  being  accompanied  with  salvation,  a 
reception  that  involves  a  renunciation  of  self-right- 


392  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

eousness,  and  a  submission  to  the  righteousness  of 
God.  But  if  you  consider  it  as  a  species  of  sincere 
obedience  which  God  has  consented  to  accept,  instead 
of  a  perfect  one,  and  if  you  hope  to  be  justified  in 
reward  of  it,  you  are  still  "  going  about  to  establish 
your  own  righteousness"  under  an  evangelical  name. 
This  is  the  commandment  of  God,  that  ye  believe  on 
the  name  of  his  Son.  Faith  is  an  act  of  obedience 
to  God,  yet  it  is  not  as  such  that  it  justifi.es  us,  but 
as  receiving  Christ,  and  bringing  us  into  a  living 
union  with  him,  ybr  whose  sake  ahne  we  are  accepted 
and  saved.  If  you  truly  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  for  salvation,  you  will  think  nothing  of  the 
workings  of  your  own  mind,  but  of  His  work  who 
came  into  the  world  to  save  the  chief  of  sinners. 

Finally,  beware  of  taking  comfort  from  any  impulse 
or  unfounded  persuasion  that  your  sins  are  forgiven,  and 
that  you  are  a  favorite  of  God.  Many  are  deceived 
in  this  way,  and  mistake  such  a  persuasion  for  faith 
itself.  When  a  sinner  is  driven  from  all  his  former 
holds,  it  is  not  unusual  for  him,  instead  of  falling  at 
the  feet  of  Christ  as  utterly  lost,  to  catch  at  any 
new  conceit,  however  unscriptural  and  absurd,  if  it 
will  but  afford  him  relief.  If  in  such  a  state  of 
mind  he  receive  an  impression,  perhaps  in  the  words 
of  Scripture,  that  God  has  forgiven  and  accepted  him, 
or  dream  that  he  is  in  heaven,  or  read  a  book  or 
hear  a  sermon  which  is  favorable  to  such  a  method  of 
obtaining  relief,  he  eagerly  receives  it,  and  becomes 
'intoxicated  with  the  delicious  draught.  The  joy  of 
hope  being  so  new  and  unexpected  a  thing,  and 
succeeding  to  great  darkness  and  distress,  produces 


PEACTICAL  IMPROVEMENT.  393 

a  wonderful  change  in  his  mind.  Now  he  thinks  he 
has  discovered  the  light  of  life,  and  feels  to  have 
lost  his  burden.  Now  he  has  found  out  the  true 
religion,  and  all  that  he  read  or  heard  before,  not 
affording  him  relief,  is  false  doctrine  or  legal  preach- 
ing. Being  treated  also  as  one  of  the  dear  children 
of  God  by  others  of  the  same  character,  he  is  at- 
tached to  his  flatterers,  and  despises  those  as  grace- 
less who  would  rob  him  of  his  comforts,  by  warning 
him  against  the  lie  which  is  "in  his  right  hand." 

I  do  not  mean  to  say  that  all  consolation  which 
comes  suddenly  to  the  mind,  or  by  the  impression 
of  a  passage  of  Scripture,  any  more  than  by  reading 
or  hearing,  is  delusive.  It  is  not  the  manner  in 
which  we  obtain  relief  that  is  of  any  account,  but 
what  it  is  that  comforts  us.  If  it  be  the  doctrine  of 
the  cross,  or  any  revealed  truth  pertaining  to  it, 
this  is  gospel  consolation ;  but  if  it  be  a  supposed 
revelation  from  heaven,  of  something  which  is  not 
taught  in  the  Scriptures,  that  is  a  species  of  com- 
fort on  which  no  dependence  can  be  placed.  A  be- 
liever may  be  so  far  misled  as  to  be  carried  away 
with  it ;  but  if  a  man  has  nothing  better,  he  is  still 
an  unbeliever. 

If  ever  you  obtain  that  rest  for  your  soul  which 
will  bear  the  light,  it  must  be,  not  from  any  thing 
within  you,  but  by  looking  out  of  yourself  to  Christ 
as  revealed  in  the  gospel.  You  may  afterwards 
know  that  you  have  passed  from  death  unto  life  by 
the  love  you  bear  to  the  brethren,  and  by  many 
other  scriptural  evidences ;  and  from  the  time  of 
your  embracing  the  gospel  remedy,  you  may  be  con- 


394  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

scious  of  it,  and  so  enjoy  the  hope  of  the  promised 
salvation  ;  but  your  first  relief,  if  it  be  genuine, 
will  be  drawn  directly  from  Christ,  or  from  finding 
that  in  the  doctrine  of  salvation  through  his  death 
which  suits  your  wants  and  wishes  as  a  perishing 
sinner. 


INDEX  OF  REFERENCES. 

The  design  of  this  Index  is  to  show  from  what  particular  work  of 
Mr.  Fuller  each  and  every  extract  composing  this  volume  is  taken ; 
that  the  reader  may,  if  he  be  so  disposed,  examine  each  passage  in 
the  connection  in  which  the  author  originally  placed  it,  and  may  see 
also  the  very  few  and  slight  changes  which  have  been  made.  For  the 
facility  of  reference,  a  wider  space  is  left  between  the  paragraphs 
which  end  one  quotation  and  begin  another.  The  edition  of  Fuller's 
Works  to  which  nearly  all  these  references  are  made,  is  that  of  the 
American  Baptist  Publication  Society  at  Philadelphia,  1845. 


Page.  fuller's  works. 

7 Vol.  II.  172. 

9- -top--  "  "   663,664. 

" «  "   665,666. 

12 "  1.698. 

14 "  III.  27. 

15 "  "   17. 

" "  11.368. 

16 "  III.  19. 

18 "  11.22,23. 

21 "  1.703. 

22 "  111.36,37. 

24 "  1.703,704. 

25 «  "  549. 

*i »  "  704. 

26 "  11.499. 

27- -top--  "  1.549. 

« «  11.262. 

28 "  1.704. 

29 "  "  210-218. 

44 "  "310. 

46 "  11.190,191 

48 "  1.709-711, 

53 "  11.260 

54 "  III.  693.695. 

60 "  1.325-327. 

65 "  11.681,682. 

68 "  "  688,689. 

71 "  III.  786. 

73 "  "    743. 

75- -top--  "  TI.  181,  182. 

78- -top--  "  1.327. 

79 "  11.74-80. 

93 "  "   82. 

94-- "  "  84,85 

97 "  "  86-89. 

117 "  "   155-157. 

121 --  "  "  753-756. 

127 "  "  233. 

129  Domestic  Preacher,  Vol.  I.  61,  62. 

130  «      "     »  «  46, 47. 
" Vol.  I.  167. 

131 "  "169,170. 

"   "  "  162.163. 


Page.     fttller's  works. 

132 Vol.  1.302,303. 

137 "  "32.3,324. 

139 "  "  315. 

141 "  "313,319. 

144 «  "249,250. 

147 «  «  665. 

148 «  "  117. 

149 «  «  127,123. 

151 «  «  182. 

152 "  "  690-692. 

157 "  III.  554. 

158 "   "  828. 

" "  1.687,688. 

161 "  11.35.1 

162 «  111.555. 

163 «  "  .567. 

164 "  1.183. 

" ••  "  238-243. 

177 "  TIL  562,  563 

180 "  1.647-651. 

189 "  11.675,676. 

190 «  «  385,386 

193 "  III.  526. 

" "  1.434. 

194 «  11.214,215. 

196 «  «  194. 

" «  "  192. 

197 «  «  212,213. 

199- -top--  "  I.  311-314. 

207 "  "  503. 

208 "  «  516. 

209 «  "  190,191 

211 "  "  438-441. 

219 "  "  151. 

221 "  "  276-282. 

236 "  «  283-2S8. 

249 «  "  673. 

" «  u  ogg 

250 "  "  565^67. 

253 "  11.52,53. 

256 "  1.238-296. 

273 "  111.105,106. 

275 "  "  151,152. 


396 


INDEX  OF  REFERENCES. 


Page.  fuller's  works. 

276 Vol.  11.  70-2-704. 

279 "  "  704. 

" "  III.  7-20-722. 

28^ "  "  719,720. 

284 "  "  709-712. 

291 "  1.476,477. 

293 "  111.309,310. 

296 "   "  695-697. 

300 "   "  589,590. 

302 "  "  739,740. 

305 "  11.  350,  351. 

306 "  III.  62-64. 

310 "  "  392,393. 

312- - "  1.178,179. 

314 "  11.112. 

315 ♦'  1.34-2,343. 

317 *'  III.  444. 

318 "   "  586. 

319 "   "  820,821. 

320 *'   »  487. 

321 "  1.437,4.38. 

322 "  111.576,577. 

324 "   "  575. 

325 «   "  577,578. 


Page.  puller's  vtokks. 

327 Vol.  III.  757,758. 

329 *'  1.624. 

330 "  "  625,626. 

331 "  "  364. 

333 "  "  36-2,363. 

335 "  "  364-367. 

342 "  "  307. 

343 "  III.  157. 

" «  1.346-348. 

350 "  "  307. 

351 "  III.  229. 

352 "      "    2-21,222. 

354 "      "    774. 

3.55 "  1.410,411. 

358 "  "  83:3,834.' 

3f5Q u  jT   22 

361  Eng.  Bap.  Mag.  1812,  354-356 

364 Vol.  11.46,47. 

366  -top--      "     "  123. 

.367 "     "   128. 

368 "    111.349,350. 

371 "    1.431,432. 

373 "    III.  640-549 


14  DAY  USE 

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